Sikandar Raza’s quest for respect and victory

EVERY time Sikandar Raza strides to the crease or takes the ball, the Chevrons’ fans hold their breath in anticipation of something special.

With his incredible talent, Raza has become the pillar of the national team, consistently delivering match-winning performances with bat and ball, or both.

For years, the Chevrons have relied on Raza, confident that he would lead them to victory even in the toughest of times. He has become their go-to player when the chips are down. Although he has occasionally fallen short of expectations, he remains their hero and an inspiration to millions of fans.

Acknowledging the weight of the fans’ expectations, Raza expressed his understanding of the disappointment they feel when he fails to perform. However, he also emphasised that he plays for the love of the game and for the fans who have given him immense support.

In a recent interview on the Clubhouse End podcast, Raza revealed his deep connection with Zimbabwean cricket fans, saying he is fully committed to bringing them victories. He is aware that he cannot always be at his best, but he will keep striving to perform at the highest level and make his fans proud.

“I’m not really too worried about runs and wickets where I am. What we really want are wins for Zimbabwe so that we can take our country to a very respectable place in the log. I have been in this country for a long time and I feel like all our fans want is to be talked about with respect, like those Zimbabwean boys, their fans back them, support them and their team plays for them and look at how well they are doing. They are climbing and climbing the ranks.

“Ultimately, what I have gathered and my understanding is that the most important thing our fans want is people to respect them and it can only happen when the team does well. So we play for that respect for our country and our fans,” he said.

Just like every sportsperson, the 38-year-old has been a victim of criticism whenever things go south. Raza recalled the two heartbreaks against the United Arab Emirates in the 2019 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers and against Scotland in the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier. In both games, Zimbabwe needed to win to qualify for the respective World Cups but, on both occasions, fell short. He said he chooses to focus on the positives from the losses.

“Every time you get out you say I could have done differently. But I don’t regret it. If you put me in the same situation again, would I do it differently, yes, I would. I learnt my lesson and I moved forward. I take those losses quite hard but always try to take valuable lessons from them.

“When I got a full toss to the pads (against UAE), I could have just tucked it around the corner and might have got two (runs). One thing I figured out, is only those who discover the deep seas are the ones who dare to leave the shores,” said Raza.

He has Zimbabwe at heart and is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the team succeeds. However, he appreciates that it cannot be every day that he plays that match-winning inning. Raza believes that in light of that, he will have a relationship of mixed feelings with the fans but is always grateful for the support they shower him with.

“I would lose a lot of games for my country, not because I want to but because it will happen, it’s who I am. But, I will also win games for my country. I refuse to just merely exist, just come, contribute and go. No, I will try and win a game from any position and when I am trying to do that, I will make mistakes, a lot more than my teammates, probably the most number of mistakes. But for me, the option is to take the game forward and finish it.

“So I guess we are going to have a love-and-hate relationship with our fans for a very long time or at least for the timeframe that I’m playing. Because they expect me to win pretty much every game but it can’t happen. So when I don’t do it, they are not happy. So a lot of abuse comes my way but I’m not really abused, it’s emotion because they expected more from me. I think I have a special connection with my fans, they know that they know me; like don’t worry, Raza is our boy he will do it,” said Raza.

The all-rounder revealed that he shares a special bond with the Chevrons’ fans, a relationship he believes was born out of what he has done and what he continues to do. He has come to understand that whenever he is out in the middle, the thousands on the terraces feel at ease. He has a special song dedicated to him by the popular “Castle Corner” fans. For him, that on its own speaks to the affection he shares with the fans — they are one.

“You set your standard but sometimes it’s something that can backfire as well. You can become a victim of your own standard sometimes but it’s okay, you rather be that, than have no standard at all. I will give you a good example, the Castle Corner. When I remember, the first song that came out was “Cremora” and each player started to get their songs. The Castle Corner has worked tirelessly to have a song for everybody but “Cremora” came first. That shows you the connection I have with them and they have with me,” he said.

Raza is more than just a talented cricketer. He is the heartbeat of Zimbabwean cricket, a player whose every move is closely followed by his adoring fans. Through his dedication and passion for the game, he inspires a new generation of cricketers in the hope that one day, Zimbabwean cricket will rise again to the heights of its glory days.

Whether he wins games for Zimbabwe or not, Raza said he will always try his best and when things don’t work out, he goes back to the nets. Raza will lead the Zimbabwe T20I team when they face Pakistan in three T20Is at Queens Sports Club scheduled for December 1, 3 and 5. The tour gets underway with the ODIs slated for November 24, 26 and 28.

After the Pakistan tour, the Chevrons will face Afghanistan in three T20Is set for December 9, 11 and 12 at Harare Sports Club. After that, they will face off in as many ODIs pencilled in for December 15, 17 and 19 at the same venue. A historic Boxing Day Test will be played at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo with the second one taking place on January 2, 2025. — @brandon_malvin