Undoubtedly, the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers have been dominated by the Zimbabwean all-rounder, Sikandar Raza. He has led the hosts to an unbeaten record after three games, showcasing his incredible skills with both bat and ball. Raza’s outstanding performance has been instrumental in Zimbabwe’s qualification to the Super Six stages, bringing them a step closer to the main tournament later this year.
In the past couple of years, Sikandar Raza has been in exceptional form. In 2022, he was nominated for both the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year and the ICC T20 Cricketer of the Year awards. His impressive career statistics speak for themselves, with close to 4,000 runs and 82 wickets in his ODI career at a batting average of 37.46 and over 1,000 runs with 38 wickets in his 66-match T20I career. It is clear that Raza is one of the best white-ball players Zimbabwe has ever produced.
As he takes Zimbabwe a step closer to World Cup qualification, it is worth examining three reasons why Sikandar Raza is the best all-rounder in white-ball cricket.
Incredible ODI and T20 numbers since 2022
Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza has been in incredible form in white-ball cricket this year. He has an average of 34.4 with the bat at a strike rate of 147.70 in 28 T20 matches and 55.60 at a strike rate of 126.60 in ODIs in 2023. With the ball, he has picked up 14 wickets in 24 T20s and 12 scalps in nine ODIs.
Raza’s consistency with bat and ball is impressive, and he is the only cricketer to average above 50 with the bat and have a bowling average of less than 30 in ODIs this year. He is ranked in the top-eight of the ODI and T20I rankings for all-rounders.
Last year, Raza had an outstanding performance, averaging 35 at a strike rate of 151 and picking up 25 wickets at an economy rate of just 6.13 in T20Is. In 2022, Sikandar Raza scored the fourth-most ODI centuries in run chases, following Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
At the beginning of 2023, Raza played a crucial role in helping the Lahore Qalandars win the PSL title. He scored 223 runs at a healthy average of 32 at an extraordinary strike rate of 180. Despite batting in the middle order, Sikandar Raza has been a consistent performer for Zimbabwe in ODIs over the last three years. He has averaged close to 50 with the bat and taken 21 wickets during that span.
Match-winning performances with bat and ball
Zimbabwean cricketer Sikandar Raza has been consistently delivering match-winning performances with bat and ball in white-ball cricket. In the ongoing World Cup Qualifiers, he became only the second active cricketer, along with Shakib Al Hasan, to score a century and pick up four wickets in a match. Raza picked up 4/55 against the Netherlands and followed his bowling heroics with a scintillating 54-ball 102, the fastest century by a Zimbabwe player, to help the side chase down a huge target of 316 with over nine overs to spare off their regular 50 overs quota.
Sikandar Raza has been a standout performer for Zimbabwe in ODIs since 2022, earning four Player of the Match awards, the joint-most among full members. His impact on the team’s winning performances is remarkable, as he boasts an average of 77 with the bat and an equally impressive 23 with the ball in Zimbabwe’s six wins this year.
Sensational performances in ICC events
Sikandar Raza has been one of the best performers in the last three ICC events, including the ongoing 50-over World Cup qualifiers. Sikandar Raza was a key contributor to Zimbabwe’s success in the 2022 T20 World Cup qualifiers. He scored 228 runs in five games at an average of 57, which helped Zimbabwe qualify for the main event in Australia.
Sikandar Raza was in top form during the first round of the T20 World Cup 2022, scoring 136 runs in three matches at a strike rate of 172. Raza took five wickets, including 3/19 against the West Indies, to help his team qualify for the Super 12s. Raza’s excellent performance continued throughout the tournament, as he finished with 219 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 148 and ten wickets.
Raza has carried his excellent form in white-ball cricket to the ongoing ODI World Cup qualifiers, winning back-to-back Player of the Match awards in the hosts’ last two wins against the Netherlands and the West Indies. Sikandar Raza’s performance in the current season is remarkable, as he boasts an average of 170 with the bat at a strike rate of 151.78. He has also taken six wickets at an average of 22.50 with the ball. The true greats in any sport are often judged by their ability to perform in the most important tournaments, and Raza has proven himself as one of the best performers in recent ICC events.
