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Zimbabwe’s captain and cricket stalwart, Sikandar Raza, delivered a scintillating performance against India on Saturday in the first T20I of their ongoing series. At Harare Sports Club, the 38-year-old all-rounder showcased his prowess by claiming three wickets for just 25 runs in his spell of four overs. His outstanding effort played a pivotal role in Zimbabwe defending a modest total of 115 runs, resulting in a 13-run victory over the Shubman Gill-led Indian side. As a testament to his brilliance on the field, Raza was awarded the Player of the Match accolade.
Raza’s standout display in the series opener has also propelled him to second place in the all-time list of players with the most Player of the Match awards in T20Is. With 15 such awards in his career spanning 87 T20Is, he finds himself just behind former Indian captain Virat Kohli, who leads the chart.
Additionally, it’s noteworthy that Suryakumar Yadav, the renowned Indian batsman, has also clinched 15 Player of the Match awards in T20Is. However, Yadav achieved this feat in 68 matches, highlighting Raza’s consistency over a broader span of 87 matches.
Joining the elite ranks, Rohit Sharma (India), Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan), and Virandeep Singh (Malaysia) share the third position on the list, each boasting 14 Player of the Match awards in T20Is.
Leading the tally for the most Player of the Match awards in T20Is are:
– Virat Kohli (India) with 16 awards
– Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) closely behind with 15 awards
– Suryakumar Yadav (India), alongside Raza, also holding 15 awards
– Rohit Sharma (India), Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan), and Virandeep Singh (Malaysia) all with 14 awards each
In the opening T20I against India, Raza made a significant impact with the ball for Zimbabwe. Entering the attack in the 11th over, he encountered an early challenge as Shubman Gill struck him for a boundary off the first delivery. Undeterred, Raza swiftly responded by dismissing Gill, the Indian skipper, for 31 runs on the very next ball. Continuing his effective spell, he later claimed the wickets of Ravi Bishnoi and Mukesh Kumar. Bishnoi fell leg-before-wicket to Raza, while Mukesh was bowled out on the final delivery of Raza’s spell.
Earlier in the match, Raza took to the crease at No. 4 for Zimbabwe, a team that missed out on qualifying for the 2024 T20 World Cup. During his innings, which included one boundary and one maximum, he scored 17 runs off 19 deliveries.
