Cricket Canada announced Nicholas Kirton as their new captain. This announcement coincided with the unveiling of the Canadian squad for their upcoming ICC CWC League 2 fixtures in the Netherlands. The tour will include four One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and two T20 Internationals (T20Is), all scheduled for August. Canada has succeeded in all four matches in the 2023-27 cycle of the CWC League 2, placing them at the top of the table with eight points.
Cricket Canada took to their Official X handle, “ A new era begins as Nicholas Kirton will lead Team Canada in ODIs and T20Is moving forward, starting with the ICC CWC League 2 in the Netherlands.”
A new era begins as Nicholas Kirton will lead Team Canada in ODIs and T20Is moving forward, starting with the ICC CWC League 2 in Netherlands ⚡️#weCANcricket #cricketcanada pic.twitter.com/RVsdMYam9w
— Cricket Canada (@canadiancricket) July 26, 2024
Nicholas Kirton replaced Saad Bin Zafar, who previously led the team in their first-ever T20 World Cup appearance earlier this year. Zafar, who has captained Canada in 12 ODIs and 22 T20Is, remains part of the squad.
Harsh Thaker was the team’s vice-captain but had to miss the T20 World Cup due to an injury, with Navneet Dhaliwal stepping in as vice-captain for the tournament. However, the 26-year-old Nicholas Kirton has now been chosen to lead the team into a new era.
Canada aims to qualify for the next T20 World Cup in 2026 and to secure a top-four finish in the CWC League 2, which would grant them a direct entry into the ODI World Cup Qualifiers. If successful, this could mark Canada’s return to the 50-over World Cup since 2011.
Nicholas Kirton, a left-handed middle-order batsman, emerged as Canada’s leading run-scorer in the T20 World Cup 2024, amassing 101 runs at an average of 33.66 with an impressive strike rate of 140.27. He made a notable impact by scoring a quick 51 off 31 balls in the tournament opener against the USA in Dallas and a crucial 49 off 35 balls against Ireland in New York, earning him the Player of the Match award.
Born in Barbados, Nicholas Kirton is eligible to represent Canada through his mother. He has domestic cricket experience with Barbados and was selected by the Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in 2020. He has played 10 ODIs and 17 T20Is for Canada. He is also a member of the Toronto Nationals in the Global T20 Canada, playing alongside international stars like Colin Munro, Rassie van der Dussen, and Roston Chase.
