Chandigarh, Feb. 18 -- When Yuvraj Singh burst onto the international scene in 2000, he ignited the cricketing dreams of countless young fans. Among them was Baljit "Bally" Samra, a cricket-obsessed boy from Amritsar who idolised the flamboyant left-hander. Though Baljit's playing ambitions faded and he moved to Canada in pursuit of business success, his passion for cricket never dimmed. When his son was born in 2006, he named him Yuvraj Samra as a tribute to his hero. And with a pledge to help his own Yuvraj realise a dream that had remained unfulfilled. Two decades on, that promise found its moment under the Chennai sun. At just 19, the Canada opening batter etched his name in cricket history at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, becoming the youngest centurion in a men's T20 World Cup in the Group D clash against New Zealand. His sparkling 65-ball 110, studded with 11 fours and six sixes, came in a losing cause as the Kiwis romped to an eight-wicket victory, but Samra's fearless stroke play commanded global cricket's attention. Canada still managed only 173/4 and rapid knocks by Rachin Ravindra (59* - 39b, 4x4, 3x6) and Glenn Phillips (76* - 36b, 4x4, 6x6) took the Kiwis to 176/2 in 15.1 overs. Samra's was only the second century in this World Cup, after Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka ended the wait with a match-winning 100* against Australia at Pallekele on Monday night. Samra showed great composure despite playing for an associate nation against an established opponent. The composure was moulded through years of preparation and sacrifice. His father, a real estate agent and restaurateur in Brampton, Ontario made cricket the focus of his son's upbringing. From indoor nets in Canada to competitive stints in India, USA and the Caribbean, Baljit ensured his son got exposure across conditions and cultures. Samra's journey began under Amarinder Bhinder, a former Punjab cricketer based in Toronto. Since 2020, former Punjab medium-pacer Gagandeep Singh, based in Waterloo, Ontario, has worked with the youngster. "His father has been the driving force. We trained mostly indoors in Canada, but soon realised he needed exposure in stronger cricketing environments. Bally took him across countries, he even trained in Mohali in 2024. That exposure made him look like a seasoned cricketer," said Gagandeep, a Canadian citizen now and senior Punjab team's bowling coach this season. Missing out on the ICC U-19 World Cup disappointed Samra, but it strengthened his resolve. He channelled his focus towards graduating to the seniors. Familiar with Indian conditions, he arrived at the T20 World Cup prepared, with his father by his side as mentor. Last year, he spent two months in Amritsar for an intensive training stint under former first-class cricketer Sandeep Sawal at Khalsa College. Facing Punjab's state bowlers toughened his game. "His preparation began months ago. Bally would tell him to clear the ropes like his namesake, and he responded. He has the spark to play in IPL and franchise leagues worldwide," said Sawal, who was the Punjab men's team fielding coach this season. Samra, who has played eight ODIs and 19 T20Is, turned out for Vancouver Knights at the Global T20 Canada in 2024 under Usman Khawaja. He has also met Yuvraj Singh a few times, first in 2019 and last year. "Like many cricketers, Yuvi's career has had a huge impact on young Yuvraj. His six sixes in the 2007 T20 World Cup, his match-winning performances in the 2011 World Cup and his fight against cancer has inspired Yuvraj a lot. We should be seeing more of this Yuvraj in various leagues, especially in IPL," said Sawal. Samra's century was more than a milestone - the culmination of a father's belief and sacrifice and the player's hard work, polishing his talent travelling across continents. Brief scores: Canada 173/4 (Yuvraj Samra 110); New Zealand 176/2 in 15.1 ovrs (Rachin Ravindra 59*, Glenn Phillips 76*). NZ won by eight wickets....