Canada pulled off a stunning 5-wicket win over Oman, thanks to a remarkable performance by Pargat Singh, who scored a brilliant 83 off 95 balls and claimed two wickets for 22 runs in the third ICC World League-2 match at Maple Leaf North-West Ground, King City.
Canada registered two wins each against Oman and Nepal, while Oman secured a win and a draw against Nepal, who lost all their matches, with one being washed out due to rain. Oman, batting first, posted 198 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 50 overs, including seven extras at a run rate of 3.96. Canada, in response, chased down the target in 45.3 overs, losing five wickets, with 27 balls to spare. Pargat Singh was instrumental in smashing Oman’s bowlers to all corners, ensuring Canada’s victory.
Oman’s innings started poorly with the early loss of Jatinder Singh, who was run out for 7 after facing just 16 balls. However, a 111-run partnership between Kashyap Prajapati (62 off 100 balls) and Aqib Ilyas (61 off 98 balls) stabilised the innings. Despite their efforts, the rest of the Omani lineup crumbled against Canada’s bowling attack, with only Shakeel Ahmad (29 off 25 balls) and Mehran Khan (12 off 13 balls) managing brief cameos. Oman finished with 198 for eight in 50 overs. Kaleem Sana bowled brilliantly, taking two wickets for 30 runs in 10 overs, while Pargat Singh also took two wickets for 22 runs, and Saad Bin Zafar and Harsh Thaker each claimed a wicket.
Canada’s chase got off to a solid start with opener Navneet Dhaliwal contributing 25 off 61 balls and Aaron Johnson adding 31 off 27 balls, including two boundaries and three sixes. However, it was Pargat Singh’s dominant innings of 83 off 95 balls, featuring nine boundaries and a six, that led Canada to victory. Shreyas Movva remained unbeaten on 36 off 60 balls, helping Canada reach 199 for five in 45.3 overs, aided by 10 extras from Oman. Ayaan Khan was the pick of the Omani bowlers, taking two wickets for 21 runs in seven overs, while Shakeel, Zeeshan, and Aqib Ilyas chipped in with a wicket each.
With this victory, Canada advances further along their journey to qualify for the 2027 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. As part of the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, the Canadian men’s team is one of eight sides competing in 36 one-day internationals across nine triangular series until December 2026.
This week, Canada, ranked 19th, is hosting 16th-ranked Nepal and 17th-ranked Oman in King City, Ontario, in their third tri-series. Canada aims to secure a spot in the expanded 14-team World Cup field, which will include co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, alongside eight of the top 10 teams in the ICC’s ODI rankings. Canada is also vying for one of the four remaining spots via the World League, which offers two qualifying paths.
Currently, sitting third in the standings with a record of 4-4-0, Canada trails behind the Netherlands (6-2-0) and Scotland (4-2-0). Oman (1-2-0) is in sixth place, while Nepal (1-3-0) occupies seventh. The top four teams will move on to a World Cup qualifier, a 10-team event comprising the two lowest-ranked full ODI members, along with the top four teams from the World Cup Qualifier Playoff.
The World Cup Qualifier Playoff will feature the bottom four World League 2 teams and four third-tier Challenge League teams, with the top four advancing to the World Cup qualifier. The top four teams from that qualifier will secure spots in the World Cup. Canada, aiming to return to the 50-over World Cup for the first time since 2011, previously participated in the 1979, 2003, and 2007 editions but failed to progress beyond the group stages.