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Zimpapers Sports Hub
ALL eyes will be on captain and all-rounder, Sikandar Raza as Zimbabwe seek to keep the five-match Twenty20 international series against Bangladesh alive when they clash in Game 3 in Chattogram, popularly known as Chittagong, today.
Bangladesh have taken a 2-0 lead in what has been a one-sided affair so far in the series and will start as favourites to take an unassailable 3-0 lead today, which puts all the pressure on Raza to deliver with both bat and ball.
Raza, who had to leave the 2024 edition of the IPL midway for national duty, has had a disappointing start to the series despite promising Zimbabwe cricket fans some happy moments after missing out on the ICC T20 World Cup tournament in the Caribbean and United States.
The Chevrons were humiliated by Namibia and Uganda in the qualifiers late last year and will be the only ICC full member missing the tournament.
Speaking ahead of the Bangladesh series, said the failure to qualify was painful and hoped to use the matches to atone for the embarrassment.
“I think that’s something that will always be painful. Not just when we play, I think even when we retire. It’s not just pain that we’re feeling now, I think it’s something that we’re going to have to carry for a long time.
“We have a huge responsibility back home as well for the people and the kids that are playing this sport and the kids who want to make a career out of this sport. The future of the sport in (my) country is enough motivation for me to try and take away the pain,” he said.
And after a largely disappointing spell with the Punjab Kings in the 2024 IPL, Raza has been expected to re-mind the world what he is made of.
In the opening game, Raza was dismissed for a golden duck as Zimbabwe collapsed from 36-1 in the fifth over to 41-7 in the eighth over and then had no wicket for 31 runs in his four overs of right-arm slow bowling.
It took a gallant 75-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Clive Madande and Wellington Masakadza to take Zimbabwe into three digits although the eventual total of 124 was never going to trouble the hosts.
In the second game, Raza scored three runs off eight balls as Zimbabwe collapsed from 30-1 after seven overs to 42-5 in the 11th over while his four overs of bowling cost 31 runs, without a wicket, as was the case in the opener.
On Sunday, Zimbabwe were 38-4 after 10 overs, and brilliant work from debutant Johnathan Campbell and Brian Bennett put on 73 runs to help the Chevrons to a modest total.
Campbell top scored for Zimbabwe with 45 off 24 balls while Bennett was unbeaten on 44, facing 29 balls and hitting three sixes alongside two fours.
Online Reporter