(Reuters) - Canada opener Yuvraj Samra smashed a scintillating hundred but New Zealand prevailed by eight wickets in a Group D contest between the sides to book their place in the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 World Cup while also eliminating Afghanistan on Tuesday.
Glenn Phillips (76) and Rachin Ravindra (59) smashed unbeaten half-centuries as New Zealand chased down a target of 174 with 4.5 overs to spare for their third win in four matches.
Group leaders South Africa had already advanced to the Super Eights after a hat-trick of wins.
"Rachin and I were just trying to stick to our processes and take it one ball at a time," said Phillips, who smashed six sixes in his 36-ball blitz and was the player of the match.
"They picked up a couple of early wickets, which put us on the back foot slightly. From there, it was about staying calm and building a partnership. Thankfully, it ended up the way it did."
Earlier, Samra, named after India stalwart Yuvraj Singh, smashed 110 off 65 balls to power Canada to a commanding 173-4 following their decision to bat first.
The 19-year-old lit up the MA Chidambaram Stadium with his batting pyrotechnics, smacking 11 fours and six sixes in what is the highest individual score in the ongoing tournament.
Samra combined in a 116-run opening partnership with his captain Dilpreet Bajwa (36) and the duo denied New Zealand any breakthrough in the first 13 overs.
Samra raced to a 36-ball fifty and never took his foot off the pedal even after losing Bajwa.
Navneet Dhaliwal and Nicholas Kirton fell in quick succession but Samra looked unfazed by the loss of partners and untroubled by the New Zealand attack.
The left-hander brought up his 58-ball hundred with a four off Kyle Jamieson before removing his helmet and soaking in the applause from the stands.
Samra's fine knock came to an end in the final over of the innings when Phillips took his third catch of the match.
Samra became the second batsman in the ongoing World Cup who scored a century. On Monday, Sri Lanka’s opener Pathum Nissanka scored the first century of the event to put his side into the Super Eights.
Nissanka scored 100 not out off 52 balls with five sixes and 10 fours as Sri Lanka, chasing Australia’s 181, reached 184-2 with two overs to spare in Kandy to win by eight wickets.
Earlier, Canada brought in off-spinner Shivam Sharma for left-arm seamer Kaleem Sana.
New Zealand made two changes. Cole McConchie came in for Mitchell Santner and Kyle Jamieson for Lockie Ferguson, who has gone home for the birth of his first child.
TEAMS
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell (capt), Mark Chapman, Cole McConchie, James Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy
Canada: Dilpreet Bajwa (capt), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (wk), Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Shivam Sharma, Ansh Patel
RAIN DELAYS IRELAND, ZIMBABWE MATCH
Rain delayed the start of the start of match between Ireland and Zimbabwe at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Balagolla, Sri Lanka.