Online Reporter
SIKANDAR Raza has hailed his side’s progression to the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 as a LANDMARK moment for Zimbabwe, describing the achievement as both humbling and deeply gratifying.
Yet, even amid the celebrations, the skipper was quick to stress that merely reaching the second phase was never the ultimate objective.
Zimbabwe secured their historic first appearance in the Super Eight of a men’s T20 World Cup after their rain-affected Group B clash against Ireland at Pallekele was abandoned.
The single point earned from the no-result proved decisive, sealing qualification and triggering scenes of pride within the camp.
“We are certainly very humbled, very grateful and very pleased at the same time,” Raza said at the post-match press conference.
“The boys are enjoying it, rightly so, but we’ve got another game in less than 48 hours, and that includes a travelling day as well.
“We’ll have a little celebration in the changing room, but once we leave, we’ve got another game to prepare for. Our focus will shift pretty quickly.
“For now, everybody’s happy, honoured and grateful – all those feelings.”
While qualification has been widely celebrated as an historic breakthrough, Raza revealed that internally the team’s ambitions stretch further than simply advancing to the Super Eight.
“The Super Eight was set by you guys as a minimum requirement – the fans, the media, the public,” he said.
“When Zimbabwe set out, we didn’t set a goal just to qualify. We’ve got other goals to achieve.
“Yes, Super Eight is clearly a tick in the box, but it’s certainly not the whole box we set out for.
“Everybody remains committed and focused on what’s still ahead.”
Zimbabwe conclude their group campaign against co-hosts Sri Lanka in Colombo tomorrow, a fixture Raza views as both an opportunity to build momentum and a final sharpening exercise before the squad shifts base to India.
“In Colombo, we had a very good game against Australia earlier.
“Going back there to play Sri Lanka, who are top of the table, it would be nice to try our best to win and finish the group stages as strongly as possible,” he said.
“The only game I’m looking forward to is Sri Lanka in two days’ time. After that, we’ll look at what’s to come.
“We’ve made sure we only look at one game at a time and that has served us really well.”
Zimbabwe’s presence in the Super Eight has surprised some observers, particularly given the team’s absence from major ICC events in recent cycles.
Raza acknowledged that part of the squad’s motivation has been to restore the country’s cricketing standing on the global stage.
“One of the goals we set out for – without telling you all of them – was to bring more recognition and respect to our country,” he said.
“Whatever has happened in the past has happened, but this group has been together for a long time and we’ve gone about our business with honesty and integrity towards the game and towards each other.
“To see people now taking notice of Zimbabwe and speaking about us in a respectful manner is very humbling and pleasing.
“Hopefully we can keep writing our own history so that when people talk about Zimbabwe cricket, they show a bit more respect.”
The captain spoke with visible pride about the composed manner in which Zimbabwe navigated the group stage, underpinned by victories over Oman and Australia – results that underlined both growth and belief within the squad.
“I cannot put into words how honoured I feel leading this group,” Raza said.
“More credit goes to my teammates than to me. I’m just the guy who sits here and talks.
“When we sat down as a team, we were very clear about what we wanted to achieve and how we were going to go about it.
“Along the way, people had to make a lot of sacrifices because we demanded a lot from each other.
“To see these rewards now, I’m sure everybody feels it was worth it.”
Raza traced the roots of Zimbabwe’s resurgence to the disappointment of missing the previous World Cup cycle – a setback he believes forced an honest reckoning and a cultural reset within the group.
“When we were told we had to play the sub-regional Qualifier B in Kenya, I remember saying to the squad: either we feel sorry for ourselves or we understand the reality – and the reality is it is because of us we are in this mess. And only we can get ourselves out of it,” he said.
“We all unanimously agreed. We laid down a plan.
“We knew there would be bad games and criticism, but if we stayed true to the plan, trusted each other and created a better culture, we’d be fine.
“To see the result after almost two years is certainly very pleasing.”
He also paid tribute to Zimbabwean supporters, noting the visible presence of travelling fans at the tournament – a show of faith he believes the team has begun to repay.
“This is probably the first time in a long time where fans have travelled to support us, That tells you they believe in this group,” he said.
“To repay that faith by qualifying for the Super Eight with a game to spare is certainly worthwhile.
“It’s a huge achievement for the country. Whether people were with us or against us, let’s just come together and enjoy this moment.
“Your criticism was valued. Your praise was valued. For now, let’s enjoy it – even if it’s for a short time.” – Zimcricket
