Raza holds most runs record

Mehluli Sibanda/Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporters

ZIMBABWEAN all-rounder, Sikandar Raza recently broke the record for most runs at a single venue in international cricket in a calendar year. 

Raza scored 753 runs at Harare Sports Club, 540 in nine One-Day Internationals (including three centuries), and 213 in six T20Is. The 36-year-old was in magnificent form with the bat against Bangladesh with back to back hundreds to power Zimbabwe to a series victory over Bangladesh at the beginning of August. Raza had unbeaten scores of 135 and 117 which came during two superb run-chases against the Tigers. It was Zimbabwe’s first series win against Bangladesh since 2013. 

The star followed up his hundreds against Bangladesh with a fine 115 against India in the final ODI, albeit in a losing cause, as Zimbabwe lost the third ODI by 13 runs and conceded a 3-0 series defeat to the Asians.

“Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza scored 753 international runs at the Harare Sports Club during 2022 — 540 in nine one-day internationals (including three centuries), and 213 in six T20Is. The previous record for one ground in a calendar year was 738 by Pakistan’s Zaheer Abbas, in Lahore in 1982; his total was made up of 401 in three Tests, with 215 against India and 134 against Sri Lanka, plus 337 in three ODIs, in each of which he scored a century,” wrote cricket statistician Steven Lynch. 

According to Lynch, not far behind are Sachin Tendulkar (709 in Sharjah in 1998), Shakib Al Hasan (703 in Mirpur in 2010) and the Flower brothers, on different grounds at home in Zimbabwe in 2001: Grant scored 699 in Bulawayo, while Andy made 676 in Harare.

Meanwhile, Raza will be playing in the Abu Dhabi T10 league which will be running from November 23 to 4 December 4. 

Raza, who will be the only Zimbabwean in the league and was signed by Chennai Braves for the sixth season of the competition. 

The contract comes after the reigning ICC Player of the Month for August starred in the Zimbabwe domestic T10 league where he scored 229 runs for Harare Kings, making him the third highest run scorer in the tournament behind Tadiwanashe Marumani and Richmond Mutumbami. Raza also took seven wickets for Harare Kings who were runners up to the Great Zimbabwe Patriots in the eight-team competition. 

The Chevrons all-rounder will be playing alongside Dasun Shanaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Carlos Brathwaite among other international stars in Chennai Braves colours. 

The other teams are Dehli Bulls, Team Abu Dhabi, Northern Warriors, Bangla Tigers, Deccan Gladiators, Morrisville Samp Army and New York Strikers. 

The competing teams boast international stars such as David Miller, Andre Russell, Mohammad Amir, Kieron Pollard, Eoin Morgan and Mistafizur Rahman. 

In a Twitter post, Raza said he is “delighted and humbled to be part of T10 league again this year and excited to be joining Chennai Braves.” 

In the 2019 season, Raza was part of the Northern Warriors.