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[EXCLUSIVE] "There were lessons for everybody at Qalandars to learn, including me": Sikandar Raza

FearlessRoar

T20I Star
Joined
Sep 11, 2023
Runs
30,521
Sikandar Raza in his exclusive interview with PakPassion, reflects on his forgettable journey with Lahore Qalandars in PSL 9.

Some of the main points discussed were:

  • Lessons from Lahore Qalandars' PSL 9 Season: Reflects on the lessons to be learned from Lahore Qalandars' PSL 9 season.
  • Shaheen Afridi's Batting Promotion: Contemplates whether it was a mistake to promote Shaheen Afridi in the batting lineup.
  • Role in the Team: Describes his role and contributions to the team during PSL 9.
  • Emerging Players in PSL 9: Shares his thoughts on which emerging players in PSL 9 impressed him.
  • Balancing T20 Leagues and International Cricket: Discusses the challenges and strategies for balancing T20 leagues and international cricket commitments.
  • Player from Zimbabwe to Look Out For: Identifies a player from Zimbabwe who is worth keeping an eye on.
  • Maintaining Fitness at 37: Talks about how he maintains his fitness at the age of 37.
  • Misquoting IPL vs PSL Comment: Clarifies his comments and addresses the misquoting of his IPL vs PSL statement.
  • Missing Pakistan: Shares his feelings about missing Pakistan and the support of Pakistani fans.
  • Progress as a Cricketer: Reflects on what helped him progress and evolve as a cricketer.
  • Upcoming Stints in IPL and Vitality Blast: Discusses his upcoming engagements in the IPL and Vitality Blast.
  • Future Goals: Shares his future goals and aspirations in cricket.

 
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I wonder how his career would have developed if he had stayed in Pakistan?

I'm pretty sure he's made the right decision in heading to Zimbabwe.
 
On this day, Happy Birthday to the one and only Zimbabwean and Lahore Qalandars star, Sikandar Raza.
 
On this day, Happy Birthday to the one and only Zimbabwean and Lahore Qalandars star, Sikandar Raza.
More than 7000 runs so far and 180 wickets to his name in international cricket. His rise in the last couple of years is phenomenal. I believe Lahore underutilized him in PSL 9.
 
Lahore Qalandars underestimated him. This guy just scored a 46-ball 72* against Zimbabwe today in the 5th T20I game. Saved his team from whitewash.
 
Sikandar Raza believes Zimbabwe will endeavor to rebuild the team and incorporate new players to secure their future in all three formats. He mentioned this while speaking to an international sports digital media outlet:

"This is the vision. Because we are not going to the World Cup, we want to rebuild the team. We want to secure our future in all three formats. The senior guys will be there for a bit longer in ODIs and Tests, but in T20s we are trying to build a new team. The long-term vision is for these guys to gain the confidence from T20s to filter into ODIs and Tests."

"I can tell those youngsters that we tried our hardest but it wasn't meant to be. For those coming into the changing room, there's still the right guidance available. Hopefully, our advice and guidance will help you kids cross that hurdle, and get to the World Cup if you ever have to play the qualifiers."
 
Until corruption is resolved they are not going anywhere, the effects of Robert Mugabe’s vice grip on the nation also resonates with Zimbabwe Cricket
 
Scoring 17 runs (off 19 balls) with the bat and taking 3 wickets for 25 runs with the ball, only a Pakistani player could make such a phenomenal performance possible, beating India in the 1st T20I.

Well deserved Player of the Match
 
Scoring 17 runs (off 19 balls) with the bat and taking 3 wickets for 25 runs with the ball, only a Pakistani player could make such a phenomenal performance possible, beating India in the 1st T20I.

Well deserved Player of the Match
One day up, one day down. He failed miserably in the 2nd T20I, disappointing the whole team who expected him to do much better today.
 
Players to score 2000+ runs & take 50+ wkts in T20Is

Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) - 2551 runs, 149 wkts
Mohammad Hafeez (PAK) - 2514 runs, 61 wkts
Virandeep Singh (MAS) - 2320 runs, 66 wkts
Mohammad Nabi (AFG) - 2165 runs, 95 wkts
Sikandar Raza (ZIM) - 2002* runs, 65 wkts

He achieved this milestone in the 4th T20I match against India
 
In an interview Sikandar Raza hails impact of franchise cricket on lower-ranked nations:

"We don't get a lot of chances to play against some of those higher-ranked nations as much. So our development, our growth, is pretty much within ourselves,"

"But because of these leagues, the confidence level, the learning we get when we play abroad in overseas leagues is sometimes a lot more than what we do on the park."

"The overseas cricketers, the legends of the game that we get to spend time with and to learn from and to ask them questions and try and get a better understanding of the game."

"I do think franchise cricket has brought international cricket a lot closer. The skill level of the lower-ranked nations is a lot better because of franchise cricket."
 
Zimbabwe shattered the record for the highest T20I score, surpassing Nepal's previous mark of 314 runs, with a staggering 344 runs against Gambia in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier.

Sikandar Raza 133*(43) at strike rate of 309.30 achieved a milestone, scoring his first T20I century and becoming the first Zimbabwean cricketer to register centuries in all formats of international cricket.
 
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Zimbabwe shattered the record for the highest T20I score, surpassing Nepal's previous mark of 314 runs, with a staggering 344 runs against Gambia in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier.

Sikandar Raza 133*(43) at strike rate of 309.30 achieved a milestone, scoring his first T20I century and becoming the first Zimbabwean cricketer to register centuries in all formats of international cricket.
Sikandar Raza now holds the record for the most Player of the Match awards (17) in T20Is
 
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