Pakistan-born veteran all-rounder Sikandar Raza has firmly stated that he would only represent Zimbabwe in international cricket. This declaration came in response to a fan’s query over whether he had ever considered playing for his country of birth.
Raza, 38, was born in Sialkot, Pakistan, in April 1986. He made his debut for Zimbabwe in May 2013 and has since become a cornerstone of the national side.
During a Q&A session with fans on his X handle on Saturday, August 3, Raza addressed a question from a user named Umar Farooq Kalson, whose profile indicates he is an ex-director of PCB:
“Have you ever thought about playing for Pakistan? You could help resolve the middle-order batting woes,” Kalson cheekily added.
To this, Raza replied:
“I am a born Pakistani and a product of Zimbabwe Cricket. I will only and ever represent Zimbabwe. Spent time and money on me and I am only trying to repay their faith and whatever I achieve will never even get close to repaying it. Zim is mine and am theirs fully.”
One of Zimbabwe’s most experienced cricketers, Raza has featured in 17 Tests, 142 ODIs, and 91 T20Is, amassing 1187, 4154, and 2037 runs respectively. He has notched up one hundred and eight fifties in Test matches, alongside seven centuries and 21 half-centuries in ODIs.
The versatile cricketer is also a capable bowler, offering both off-spin and leg-spin options. With the ball, he has claimed 34 wickets in Test matches, including two five-wicket hauls, along with 88 scalps in ODIs and 66 in T20Is.
Sikandar Raza in The Hundred
Raza is currently representing Manchester Originals in The Hundred. He has played three matches so far, registering scores of 13, 21, and 13 against Welsh Fire, Trent Rockets, and Southern Brave, respectively. With the ball, he impressed with figures of 2-29 against Trent Rockets in Manchester.
Overall, the Zimbabwe cricketer has featured in 248 T20 matches, accumulating 5104 runs at a strike rate of 134.24, including 30 half-centuries. With the ball, he has claimed 145 wickets at an average of 28.12 and an economy rate of 7.41, with three four-wicket hauls.
Raza’s unwavering loyalty to Zimbabwe and his impressive stats underscore his significant contribution to the sport and his adopted nation.
