Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema-Zimpapers Sports Hub
SIKANDAR RAZA walked into Friday night’s Annual National Sports Awards expecting little more than an appearance, a handshake or two and the usual formalities.
By the time he left Casino Marina at Longcheng Plaza, the Zimbabwe Chevrons captain was standing still, visibly overwhelmed, as an entire auditorium rose to salute him.
For a man who has spent much of his career fighting for recognition beyond scorecards, franchise leagues and rankings, this was different. This was home. And home showed up.
Raza (39) scooped the 2025 Sportsman of the Year award before capping the night with the biggest prize, Sportsperson of the Year, edging out sprint sensation Tapiwanashe Makarawu and underlining what has been a relentless run for both player and country.
“I certainly didn’t expect that,” Raza said after receiving a standing ovation. “It took me by surprise, shock even, receiving that amount of respect from the whole auditorium after winning that award.
“It tells me that everybody cares, loves and supports the sport and myself.
“Honestly, I had goosebumps while I was going to get my award because the whole auditorium was just standing up and clapping.”
For once, Zimbabwe’s global cricket statesman looked lost for words.
And maybe that was fitting.
While some may have viewed his triumph over Makarawu as a surprise, the bigger picture says otherwise. This was not a sentimental victory. It was earned.
Raza’s 2025 was not built on nostalgia or reputation. It was built on output.
He began the year shortlisted for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year after a dominant 2024 campaign, then climbed to the summit of the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings before later becoming the world’s number one T20I all-rounder.
He also rewrote parts of cricket history.
Raza became the Full Member cricketer with the most T20I Player of the Match awards, hitting 18 and moving past Indian superstars Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav.
For Zimbabwe, he kept dragging standards upwards.
He became the first Zimbabwean to reach 5 000 T20I runs and, more importantly, captained the Chevrons back to the ICC T20 World Cup after a three-year absence through an unbeaten qualifying campaign on home soil.
Then came the global stage, where Zimbabwe did not just participate but competed.
A Super Eight finish at the ICC T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, highlighted by statement wins over Australia, Sri Lanka and Oman, signalled a team no longer content with making up numbers.
That rise was reflected off the field, too.
Blessing Muzarabani landed an IPL deal with Kolkata Knight Riders, while Raza, Ryan Burl and Brian Bennett secured major PSL opportunities, further proof Zimbabwe cricket’s stock is climbing again.
“I didn’t think I was going to win, if I am going to be honest,” said Raza. “I just came because Zimbabwe Cricket asked me to attend and it made sense since I had been nominated.
“I’m hardly ever in the country because of my work, so I thought, let me honour my commitments and do the things that I have to do as a captain and also as an employee of Zimbabwe Cricket.
“So when I came in, I was pretty calm and thought to myself whoever wins, wins. It is a huge honour just to be nominated among those guys. Going on to win it was certainly very humbling.”
That humility has long defined him. But so has consistency.
From franchise success with Lahore Qalandars, where he played a key role in a title-winning era, to carrying Zimbabwe’s badge through transition, Raza has become more than a cricketer.
He is now the face of Zimbabwe’s cricket resurgence.
And perhaps Friday night was not just about individual recognition.
It may have been Zimbabwe sport acknowledging that one of its most dependable global ambassadors has spent years flying the flag, often without the noise, but never without impact.
“Certainly, the Chevrons’ graph is on the up,” Raza said. “The more and more guys get exposed and play cricket, the more our country and our rankings
will keep going higher and
higher.
“I think the lessons and the experience we are gaining from playing in those ICC events and bilateral series are starting to pay dividends.”
For years, Raza has collected runs, records and respect across continents.
On Friday night, Zimbabwe gave him something else — his flowers.
