Why Pakistan no longer trusts Babar Azam | T20 World Cup 2026
Two decades later, Saad is Canada’s most experienced batsman in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup T20 and their leading wicket-taker with four wickets.And as his team prepares for Thursday’s final match against Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the 39-year-old has one ambition: “To give our best and show our potential.”A late start to ‘serious’ cricketBorn in 1986, cricket in Pakistan was more of a pastime than a serious pursuit.“I didn’t play much club cricket in Pakistan. I played school cricket. I didn’t think of taking up cricket as a career,” he said.After moving to Canada, he attended the University of Toronto and completed a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar, left, celebrates a goal by New Zealand’s Tim Seifert (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Cricket initially fit in with his studies. He would play club cricket in the Toronto Super 9 League before making his debut for Canada in 2008.However, the early years were full of inconsistency.“From 2008 to 2015 I was in the team and performed. I used to be selected and then dropped,” he added. “I was a youngster. I was new to the team. I was trying to get my place.”That changed in 2015. He gradually established himself as a regular in the national team and became one of the team’s most trusted assets.Leader in the roomSaad played an integral role in leading Canada through T20 World Cup qualifiers and later became the country’s first captain in the history of the tournament. Under his leadership, Canada regained ODI status in 2023.Although he no longer holds the captain’s armband, the responsibilities have only increased.“I play my role as a bowling all-rounder, left arm, left batsman, lower middle order. I want to win matches for Canada with good performances. And I want to share my experience with the youngsters and groom them,” he said.
Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar smiles and Shreyas Movva celebrate a goal by United Arab Emirates’ Mayank Kumar (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
He also has experience playing overseas franchise cricket, including in the Caribbean Premier League for the St Lucia Zouks.In November 2021, he achieved a rare feat in T20Is by becoming the first man to concede no runs in a four-over spell, finishing with figures of 4-4-0-2 against Panama.Cricket became full-time over timeFor most of his career, cricket was not a full-time profession in Canada. Saad worked as a purchasing analyst in an insurance company and played international cricket.“It was very difficult in the beginning. After all, cricket was not a full-time profession in Canada,” he revealed. “Even when you’re playing for Canada, you have to work together.He negotiated vacations for tours and sometimes worked remotely while traveling. But employers were not always accommodating. “There was a point where they said we can’t accommodate you that much. So you have to either work or play cricket,” he recalled.“When some company started bothering me, I found another job. But I didn’t leave cricket.”In 2018, after becoming the Player of the Match in the GT20 final and getting opportunities in other franchise leagues, he decided to quit his job and focus fully on cricket.‘My parents started to believe I was talented’Saad moved to Canada with his family as the eldest son. This move was primarily for his higher education. After three years, his family returned to Pakistan while he stayed back to complete his studies. Eventually, however, his other four siblings also moved to Canada. His father’s attitude also changed.READ ALSO: From Ice Hockey to Youngest Talents 2026 FIFA World Cup T20: Ajayveer Hundal ‘feels great’ in Delhi“Eventually, when I was called up to the national team and started playing for Canada, my parents started to believe that I was talented enough to represent Canada. After that, my dad started supporting me,” he added with a smile.“Then he stopped telling me to give up cricket and focus on my studies. Now he feels proud.”