Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
FRESH off a gruelling Test match against England in London, Sikandar Raza delivered one of the most astonishing performances of his career, on another continent, less than a day later.
Just hours after walking off the field for Zimbabwe on Saturday, Raza was racing across time zones to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final for Lahore Qalandars. Not only did he make it, he scored the winning runs in Sunday’s dramatic title clash, cementing his status as one of the game’s ultimate professionals.
It was an arduous and surreal journey for the Chevrons stalwart, one that sounded more like a movie script than a match itinerary.
In less than 24 hours after the curtain fell on the historic Test, Raza was suiting up for the PSL final in Lahore, with Qalandars chasing a third league title. The team had prepared two versions of the playing XI, one with him, and one without. At the toss, skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi confirmed the miracle: “Raza’s in.”
Raza, who had flown in from England just a week earlier to help Lahore reach the knockouts before rushing back to rejoin the national team, touched down in Pakistan only 10 minutes before the toss.
His 24-hour dash read like a travel journal on steroids: driven by a friend to Birmingham Airport, he boarded an economy flight to Dubai. With no business class seats available, he made do, enduring a six hour layover and a transfer to Abu Dhabi for the next leg. From there, he caught a flight to Lahore, still en route from the airport when his name was announced in the XI.
“I was so mentally and physically drained. All I was saying to myself was ‘just watch the ball’. I was blank out there. I wasn’t predicting or thinking where the ball is going to be and what I am going to do. All I said was wherever the ball is, hit the best shot,” Raza said after the match.
“I’m here to do a job, and God forbid, if we happened to lose the game, then at least in my heart, I knew I was with my brothers. I know the team truly wanted me here, given the efforts the owners and the captains went through over the last 24–36 hours to get me here. If I tell you, it’s unbelievable.
“Bowled 25 overs [in the Test] the day before yesterday, batted for 20 overs yesterday. Had dinner in Birmingham, breakfast in Dubai, drove to Abu Dhabi for lunch, took a flight and had dinner in Pakistan. I guess this is the life of a professional cricketer and I’m truly humbled and blessed to have that life.”
Raza smashed 22 runs off just seven balls, sealing Lahore’s record setting chase of 202, the highest successful chase in any T20 final, to defeat Quetta Gladiators by six wickets.
He also made an impact with the ball, removing the dangerous Rilee Rossouw.
With eight runs needed off the last three deliveries, Raza, who had earlier struck a defiant half century in Zimbabwe’s second innings against England, finished the job with a towering six followed by a boundary.
“I tried to take the emotions out,” he said. “I think all the journey and the Test match helped me because I was so mentally and physically drained. I was blank out there… just watching the ball.
“This is what it’s all about. We played three knockout games. Which team’s going to be more prepared than us? We had a final we won off the last ball two years ago.
“If I had to pick one, it’d be this one, just because of the story of how we got here. There was so much drama going on in this game, and to get a victory like this is unbelievable. I’ve got no words at the moment.
