RAZA TAKES RESPONSIBILITY

Eddie Chikamhi-Zimpapers Sports Hub

ALL-ROUNDER Sikandar Raza feels he owes his team some runs as hosts Zimbabwe prepare to switch focus to the One Day International series against Afghanistan beginning tomorrow in Harare. 

When he is in good form, the Chevrons usually click, but the 38-year-old has recorded subdued performances in the last two months against Pakistan and now Afghanistan, with results also eluding the national team. 

And, after losing the T20I series to Afghanistan at the weekend, Raza, who is also the Zimbabwe T20I skipper, was honest to admit his lack of contribution to the scoreboard could also be weighing down the Zimbabwe side. 

“All I would say is I think my team needs my runs,” he said. 

“I’m letting the team down, and I’ll be the first one to raise my hand and say that if I’m scoring runs, then my team will be in a much better place. 

“Because some other guys are doing the role that I’m supposed to be doing. I think I’m short of runs in cricket, especially the last four or five innings that I’ve had.” 

Raza scored a new individual T20I batting record of 133 runs for Zimbabwe during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub Regional Qualifier B in Kenya in October.

The record, however, was against a low-tier opponent, The Gambia. But runs have been eluding him ever since. His 39 runs against Pakistan was the highest score in the recent two T20I series. 

Raza also knows he has to put in some shifts in the ODI game where he has not scored a fifty in his last 12 innings. 

“So, the honest answer is that I’m letting the team down, and I know that I am. And I’m very confident and still positive and humble about the fact that I’m going to train hard and try and put this right and hopefully try and win my country games,” said Raza. 

Zimbabwe lost back-to-back matches to Afghanistan on Friday and Saturday to give away the T20I series 1-2. 

But they will be hoping to regroup in the ODIs and throw everything back at the Afghans, who have dominated the white-ball matches between the two nations since 2005. 

Afghanistan carries a dominant 18-10 record going into the three-match ODI series at Harare Sports Club this week. The team’s stand-in coach, Hamid Hassan, wants the status quo to remain during this tour, which also includes two Test matches that begin on Boxing Day and run into January. 

“We are targeting the full tour — first the T20I, then the ODI, and then followed by the two Test matches in Bulawayo,” he said.

“The expectation is always high from the team, especially back home, where people expect a lot. They always expect back-to-back wins.” 

This series has huge significance for the Afghans, who are now preparing for their debut appearance at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy to be held between February and March in Pakistan. 

“This series is very important for us because the Champions Trophy is coming in only two and a half months. 

“Whoever plays well, we have to pick him for the Champions Trophy as well. So, I think it’s a good opportunity for us to play here well. 

“And then, we can continue the same form and same rhythm. It will be good for us in the Champions Trophy,” said Hassan.

But he expects more competition as the tour, which will continue until the new year progresses. 

The visitors are cherishing this opportunity of playing a full tour, which includes all three formats, against Zimbabwe for the first time. 

“Obviously, as I said, it’s very important for us and also for Zimbabwe. I think after a long time we are playing a full series against a full nation side. And it will be a good competition because Zimbabwe is not an easy side. But we have to play very well.

“And the way we are playing, the way the boys are playing in the last couple of years, I have to say a couple of months, if we play like that, I don’t think Afghanistan can lose the games. We are not taking any side lightly, though,” Hassan said.