SIKANDAR Raza says the Chevrons need to transform themselves from being a team content with making the final of a tournament into one which should be targeting winning the big match.
The Zimbabwe captain was the only man who offered resistance in the final of the tri-series against Afghanistan in the UAE on Friday as the Chevrons crashed to another big defeat at the hands of the Asians. Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first and could only post 169 runs in 43,3 overs while in reply Afghanistan chased that target for the loss of just three wickets in 34,3 overs.
It was the seventh win in a row for Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah in ODI matches.
Rashid Khan was named player of the series for his 11 wickets. Afghanistan and Zimbabwe next meet in a T20I series, which start this week, in the UAE. Raza was asked if he felt he didn’t get enough support from his teammates in the final.
“No, I wouldn’t say that it feels disappointing that I was left alone. Cricket is never about one guy. There was a lot of good things that was done from the other boys as well.
“But for me, as much you said congratulations for making the final, but that is not how we want to play the final. This business of us making the final needs to stop. We address that in the changing room, that once we get to the final, we have to win the final. We have to win the trophies.
“This Zimbabwe needs to change. We have made plenty of finals and just existed. And for me, the biggest disappointment of this tour has been that we’ve been 20 for 3 and 30 for 3, and that’s something we have addressed.
“But, unfortunately, we haven’t got it right in three games, and that’s an area of concern.”
He added: “The team needed me to grind. When you grind and you’re trying to do the right things, I always say that cricket rewards you back.
“I just think that we have to understand that we haven’t had a chance to acclimatise. We only got here two days before the first game.
“So I think that’s an area that we need to address back with the board as well, that hopefully when we come to subcontinent, try and send us early so that we can get used to these conditions.
“These are alien conditions for us, especially in this month. It has been very hot and humid and the body has struggled to cope with it.
“But for me personally, when I look back, it was the team needed me to grind. There has to be a mental toughness. I mean, in the first game, I reckon Craig Ervine was batting on 30 when he tore his hamstring.
“I mean, he’s got a grade one tear, but he batted on till he was on 90. And that is what makes us a team. We grind, we graft for one another, we put our team needs before us, and today was no different for me.” — Sports Reporter/Cricbuzz
