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Friday, Mar 29, 2024
Sikandar Raza

Sikandar Raza

Age 37ZimbabweZIMBABWE
Right Handed All Rounder

Sikandar Raza Butt was born on 24th April 1986 in Sialkot in the Punjab region of Pakistan. He studied in an Air Force public school and aspired to become a pilot in the Pakistani Air Force. His dreams were cut short as he failed his vision test and soon after emigrated to Zimbabwe with his family in 2002. His potential for cricket came to the forefront when he went to Scotland to study at the Glasgow Caledonian University and started playing semi-professional cricket. This turn of fate resulted in him embarking on a journey as a talented cricketer.


While he was still studying, he played some domestic cricket in Zimbabwe making his List A debut for the Northerns in 2007 playing in the Faithwear Clothing Inter-Provincial One Day Competition. He did not do well but soon after made his first-class debut against the Easterns in the Logan Cup. He played very few games till he completed his education in 2010 and had just one half-century under his belt until then. However, playing full-time cricket got the best out of Raza as he went on to plunder 625 runs at a healthy average of 41 in the 2010-11 domestic season.

He got his chance to play the T20 format for Southern Rocks and made his debut in the 2010 Stanbic Bank T20 competition. He ended the campaign as the leading scorer and his reputation as a dangerous top-order batter kept growing. Over the years he went on to represent several teams around the world in their T20 league competitions. Early in 2011, the selectors decided to include him in their plans and gave him an opportunity in a practice match against Bangladesh in place of Vusi Sibanda, who got injured. Raza made a strong case for himself with his performance and identifying his abilities, the selectors began making efforts to complete his citizenship process.

He was included in the World Cup squad for the 2011 edition but he acquired his citizenship only later that year. It still took him two more years to eventually make his international debut against Bangladesh, beginning with the ODI format first and following it up with a debut in the T20 format on the same tour. He did not get off to the best of starts, but a half-century against a strong Indian lineup soon after showed that he had talent as well as potential. His Test debut came later that year against Pakistan, the country of his birth, and he played well to reach a half-century in his first outing.

He was in and out of the team and the series against Bangladesh in 2014 cemented his place in the side as an opener. He got his maiden ODI century against Afghanistan in 2014 having played a remarkable inning of 141. He participated in the 2015 World Cup where he failed with the bat but his bowling ability became evident. That was the beginning of his journey as an all-rounder who has gone on to serve Zimbabwe cricket for years. In 2017 he orchestrated Zimbabwe’s first-ever five-match bilateral series win away from home against Sri Lanka as he claimed the Player of the Match award in the decider.

He followed this performance with his maiden Test hundred on the same tour in a one-off Test match. Later that year, he picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket against the West Indies. In the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament he was awarded the Player of the Tournament award for scoring 319 runs and taking 15 wickets but despite his best efforts, Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup. At the start of 2020, Raza gained the record for the second-best bowling figures in an inning by a Zimbabwe bowler in Test cricket with 7 for 113 against Sri Lanka.

Sikandar Raza continues to go all guns blazing with the blade and has settled well into the role of a middle-order batter who can bowl his full quota of overs when required. In an ODI series against Bangladesh in 2022, he smacked consecutive centuries in the first two matches out of three, and both came in a winning cause. His first stint in the Indian T20 League came in the 2023 edition as he was bought by the Punjab franchise at his base price. He played seven matches in that season and won a couple of Player of the Match awards for his side. After that, he improved his game massively becoming the most crucial player for his national side winning them some really important games single-handedly with his all-round shows. In doing so, he also became the player with the most Man of the Match awards in 2023 in T20Is surpassing the great Virat Kohli. Raza performed exceptionally well for every franchise that he played for in this period. Raza was also the most valuable player in the ILT20 2024 scoring 313 runs and picking up 13 wickets. He hopes to continue that form in the 2024 Indian T20 League and get more opportunities to showcase his talent in the best league in the world. His journey from aspiring to serve in the Pakistan Airforce to becoming a long-standing servant of Zimbabwe cricket is one to admire and marvel at.


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Sikandar Raza Ranking
bat
Batting
34ODIN/ATEST62T20
ball
Bowling
53ODIN/ATEST74T20
Teams
  • ZimbabweZimbabwe
  • defaultLahore Whites
  • defaultMashonaland Eagles
  • defaultMatabeleland Tuskers
  • defaultNorthamptonshire
  • defaultNortherns
  • defaultNortherns
  • defaultSouthern Rocks
  • defaultSoutherns
  • defaultZimbabwe A
  • Punjab KingsPunjab Kings
  • defaultChattogram Challengers
  • defaultZimbabwe XI
  • defaultRangpur Riders
  • defaultSaint Lucia Kings
  • defaultTrinbago Knight Riders
  • defaultKalabagan Cricket Academy
  • defaultSheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club
  • defaultKarachi Kings
  • defaultLahore Qalandars
  • defaultPeshawar Zalmi
  • defaultGazi Group Cricketers
  • defaultKhulna Tigers
  • defaultMis-e-Ainak Knights
  • defaultShinepukur Cricket Club
  • defaultToronto Nationals
  • defaultMontreal Tigers
  • defaultPaktia Panthers
  • defaultTshwane Spartans
  • defaultNorthern Warriors
  • defaultBiratnagar Warriors
  • defaultAmsterdam Knights
  • defaultHeat Stormers
  • defaultDambulla Aura
  • defaultChennai Braves
  • defaultHarare King Cricket Club
  • defaultDubai Capitals
  • defaultBiratnagar Super Kings
  • defaultSeattle Orcas
  • defaultBulawayo Braves

Match Results

Upcoming Matches

Sikandar Raza Statistics

Debut
Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh on May 03, 2013
Last
Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka on Jan 11, 2024
Debut
Zimbabwe vs Pakistan on Sep 03, 2013
Last
Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan on Mar 10, 2021
Debut
Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh on May 11, 2013
Last
Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka on Jan 18, 2024
Debut
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders on Apr 01, 2023
Last
Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals on May 13, 2023

Sikandar Raza Batting Records

MatR50s100sAvgS/R
142415421736.4386.43
Highest Runs141
Balls Faced133
On DateJul 20, 14
AgainstAfghanistanAFG

Sikandar Raza Bowling Records

MatOWAvgS/REco
142768.28842.4752.384.86
Wickets Taken4
Runs55
On DateJun 20, 23
AgainstNetherlandsNED

Sikandar Raza Fielding Records

CatchesStumpingsRun Outs
57011
Mat: Matches, R: Runs, W: Wickets, O: Overs, S/R: Strike Rate, Eco: Economy Rate, Avg: Average

Sikandar Raza Batting Records

MatR50s100sAvgS/R
1711878135.9655.15
Highest Runs127
Balls Faced205
On DateJul 14, 17
AgainstSri LankaSL

Sikandar Raza Bowling Records

MatOWAvgS/REco
17442.53442.3878.143.25
Wickets Taken7
Runs113
On DateJan 27, 20
AgainstSri LankaSL

Sikandar Raza Fielding Records

CatchesStumpingsRun Outs
502
Mat: Matches, R: Runs, W: Wickets, O: Overs, S/R: Strike Rate, Eco: Economy Rate, Avg: Average

Sikandar Raza Batting Records

MatR50s100sAvgS/R
81185413025.39134.44
Highest Runs87
Balls Faced40
On DateJul 11, 22
AgainstSingapore

Sikandar Raza Bowling Records

MatOWAvgS/REco
81190.25822.9119.686.98
Wickets Taken4
Runs8
On DateJul 17, 22
AgainstNetherlandsNED

Sikandar Raza Fielding Records

CatchesStumpingsRun Outs
3506
Mat: Matches, R: Runs, W: Wickets, O: Overs, S/R: Strike Rate, Eco: Economy Rate, Avg: Average

Sikandar Raza Batting Records

MatR50s100sAvgS/R
71391027.80141.83
Highest Runs57
Balls Faced41
On DateApr 15, 23
AgainstLucknow Super GiantsLSG

Sikandar Raza Bowling Records

MatOWAvgS/REco
712339.6624.009.91
Wickets Taken1
Runs19
On DateApr 15, 23
AgainstLucknow Super GiantsLSG

Sikandar Raza Fielding Records

CatchesStumpingsRun Outs
500
Mat: Matches, R: Runs, W: Wickets, O: Overs, S/R: Strike Rate, Eco: Economy Rate, Avg: Average
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