Sikandar Raza's All-Round Show Stuns West Indies, Leads ZIM To Super 6 In WC Qualifiers
Sikandar Raza in action against WI (Twitter)
Sikandar Raza’s all-round dexterity came to the fore once again as he led Zimbabwe to a stunning victory over powerhouse West Indies. The veteran was fittingly adjudged as ‘Player of the Match’ for his efforts, just days after putting up a similar performance against the Netherlands.
Raza bludgeoned 68 before pocketing two West Indies wickets as Zimbabwe sealed the must-win contest by 35 runs.
Sikandar Raza leads way in emphatic Zimbabwean win
Zimbabwe hosted West Indies in match number 13 of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 Qualifiers in Harare. Fresh off the back of successive wins in their two matches of the tournament upfront, Craig Ervine and co. batted confidently, and times tactically, to pile up 268 against a strong West Indies bowling attack.
Captain Ervine himself stroked his way to 47, while Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza listed sparkling half-centuries in the middle. Raza top-scored in the innings with an imperial 68, a knock laced with six boundaries and two sixes.
Defending a competitive total against limited-overs heavyweights, Raza gave his side two crucial breakthroughs from his eight overs. The off-spinner cleaned up West Indies captain Shai Hope, and later return to trap tail-ender Keemo Paul in front of stumps to finish with 2-36.
Remarkably, the 37-year-old also stunned an insurgent Netherlands side a few days earlier at the same venue. The all-round veteran collected four of the six fallen Dutch wickets in a game where they mounted 315 upon batting first.
Later, the right-hander punched out an unbeaten 102 in a high-octane run-chase, as his side overhauled their monumental task with nearly 10 overs in the bank. He faced just 54 deliveries in the process, and launched eight sixes and six boundaries in the innings.
Raza will now assume his role in Zimbabwe’s final Group A fixture against the United States. The team, having already qualified for the next round, will continue their 2023 World Cup qualification pursuit in the Super Six stage of the ongoing tournament.
The two finalists of the competition will earn tickets to India for the 2023 World Cup later this year.
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