Full Name : Sikandar Raza Butt
Role : All-rounder
Batting Style : Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style : Right Arm Off-spin
Jersey Number : 24
Date of Birth : 24 April 1986 (age 40)
Birthplace : Sialkot, Pakistan
Nationality : Zimbabwe
Current Role : Zimbabwe T20I captain
Father : Tasadaq Hussain Raza
Sibling : Taymoor Raza Butt (Brother)

Sikandar Raza is a Pakistan-born cricketer who plays for Zimbabwe as an all-rounder and captains the Zimbabwe T20I team. Sikandar Raza was born on 24 April 1986 (age 40) in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan. He led Zimbabwe at the 2026 T20 World Cup and, as of September 2026, has played 22 Tests, 159 ODIs and 144 T20Is.

Early Life & Journey :

Raza grew up in Pakistan and did not play cricket seriously as a boy. His dream was to become a fighter pilot. He studied for three years at the Pakistan Air Force College in Lower Topa, but he failed a vision test needed for pilot selection, which ended that dream.

His family moved to Zimbabwe in 2002. He studied software engineering at Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland, where he started playing cricket more seriously.

Raza made his first-class debut in Zimbabwe in 2007. He missed parts of seasons because of his studies but returned in 2010-11 and scored 625 runs. Zimbabwe Cricket gave him his first international cap in May 2013 in an ODI series against Bangladesh. A few months later, in September 2013, he made his Test debut against Pakistan, the country where he was born.

Sikandar Raza career highlights

Raza was Player of the Tournament at the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, with 319 runs and 15 wickets. In August 2022 he scored three ODI centuries in successful run chases. At the 2022 T20 World Cup he was a key player in Zimbabwe's one-run win over Pakistan.

On 23 October 2024 he became the first Zimbabwe player to score a T20I century, making 133 not out off 43 balls against The Gambia in Nairobi.

He captained Zimbabwe at the 2026 T20 World Cup, where Zimbabwe reached the Super 8 stage. His most recent Test was against Afghanistan in October 2025.

Sikandar Raza ODI, Test & T20I stats (as of September 2026)

Format Matches Runs Average 100s 50s Wickets Best bowling
Tests 22 1,434 34.14 1 11 40 7/113
ODIs 159 4,704 37.33 7 26 98 4/55
T20Is 144 3,244 25.54 1 17 114 5/18

Sikandar Raza IPL and franchise teams –

At the IPL 2023 mini auction, Punjab Kings bought Sikandar Raza for Rs 50 lakh. He played for Punjab Kings in 2023 and 2024 and scored his first IPL fifty in April 2023. He has also played for Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League, Dambulla in the Lanka Premier League and Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League, and in February 2026 he signed for Worcestershire Rapids in England's T20 Blast.

Frequently asked questions

When was Sikandar Raza born?

Sikandar Raza was born on 24 April 1986 (age 40) in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan.

Where was Sikandar Raza born?

He was born in Sialkot, Pakistan, and moved to Zimbabwe with his family in 2002.

Why does Sikandar Raza play for Zimbabwe?

His family moved to Zimbabwe in 2002, and he went on to play first-class cricket there from 2007 and for the national team from 2013.

Is Sikandar Raza the Zimbabwe captain?

Yes. He captains the Zimbabwe T20I team and led them at the 2026 T20 World Cup.

What is Sikandar Raza's full name?

His full name is Sikandar Raza Butt.

Did Sikandar Raza want to be a pilot?

Yes. He studied for three years at the Pakistan Air Force College but failed a vision test needed for pilot selection.

What is Sikandar Raza's highest T20I score?

He scored 133 not out off 43 balls against The Gambia on 23 October 2024, the first T20I century by a Zimbabwe player.

Which IPL team did Sikandar Raza play for?

He played for Punjab Kings in 2023 and 2024 after they bought him for Rs 50 lakh.

How many ODIs has Sikandar Raza played?

As of September 2026 he has played 159 ODIs, scoring 4,704 runs with 7 centuries and taking 98 wickets.

When did Sikandar Raza make his international debut?

He made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in May 2013 and his Test debut against Pakistan in September 2013.