New Delhi, March 2 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney participated in the India-Canada CEOs’ Forum on Monday, where the former drew parallels between cricket and the two countries’ relations, stating that he was elated to see the Canadian cricket team participate in the T20 World Cup being held in India.
PM Modi held bilateral talks with Carney as the two leaders look to reset India-Canada ties strained since the 2023 diplomatic row over Khalistani separatist activities.
Speaking at the Forum, PM Modi said in his address, “Some of you must surely be watching cricket. It made all of us very happy to see Canada playing in the T20 World Cup being held in India. Just like in T20 cricket; with fast decisions, fearless strokes, and match-winning partnerships, India and Canada will shape the future together. With this resolve, I invite all of you to join India’s journey of development."
Canada participated in their second T20 World Cup this year, having finished fourth in the group stage in their inaugural appearance in 2024.
Canada endured a difficult campaign at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, exiting at the group stage after four defeats in a demanding Group D. Drawn alongside heavyweights such as South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan, as well as the United Arab Emirates, Canada struggled to find winning momentum despite flashes of promise.
They opened with a 57-run loss to South Africa before suffering a narrow five-wicket defeat to the United Arab Emirates in a contest that went down to the final over. An eight-wicket loss to New Zealand followed, while Afghanistan sealed their campaign with an 82-run victory.
Although Canada showed fighting spirit with the bat in patches, inconsistency with both bat and ball proved costly, as they finished bottom of the group and missed out on a place in the Super Eights.
--IANS
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