Sikandar Raza Opens Up On Retirement As Zimbabwe Prepare For Home World Cup
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza has opened up about his impending retirement as the country prepares to host the upcoming World Cup.
The 40-year-old all-rounder described the opportunity to play in a World Cup on home soil before ending his international career as a “blessing” during the launch of mobile game SIXR on Tuesday.
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Raza Eager For World To Experience Zimbabwe
According Cricinfo, Raza said playing a World Cup at home would be particularly meaningful as he nears retirement, while giving Zimbabwe an opportunity to showcase its attractions and hospitality to an international audience.
“Every cricketer dreams of having retired or to retire before he can play a World Cup. The fact that I am coming to the end of my career as well, so to have an opportunity to play a home World Cup at home is certainly a blessing for me from a personal point of view,” Raza said.
He believes supporters travelling to Zimbabwe will experience more than just cricket, pointing to the atmosphere in the stands and the country’s natural beauty.
“From a collective point of view, I do think the world really needs to see what Africa has to offer, the beauty, the crowd and the vibe and everything that we have to offer in Zimbabwe, especially. The world deserves to see it. For people who will find time to travel to Zimbabwe to watch the World Cup, it will be an unforgettable experience,” he added.
Raza Rules Out Reversing Retirement Decision
Although he strongly supports Zimbabwe joining the WTC, Raza made it clear that the prospect would not persuade him to extend his international career.
The all-rounder said he had accepted the decisions he was making about his future and would not reverse his retirement plans if Zimbabwe were admitted to the competition.
“Would I be tempted? No, I will not be tempted. I have come to peace with the decisions that I am making in life. I will not be a guy who will when the time comes will call it off and then says I’m taking my retirement back. It will not happen, that’s not me,” he said.
Zimbabwe Captain Backs Super Seven Format
Raza also expressed support for the proposed Super Seven format, arguing that teams which perform well during the competition should be rewarded with additional matches.
“I quite like the Super Seven idea. I think the teams that play well deserve to have more games at the World Cup,” he said.
Zimbabwe have been drawn in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, Australia and Afghanistan, with the final group position to be determined through a qualifying tournament.
Raza credited Zimbabwe Cricket for arranging additional fixtures beyond the country’s scheduled Future Tours Programme (FTP), saying the extra playing opportunities were important in preparing the team for international assignments.
He said the board had made efforts to ensure players gained sufficient match experience ahead of major competitions.
Raza Plays Down Home Advantage
Despite Zimbabwe hosting matches across Harare, Bulawayo and a new venue in Victoria Falls, Raza does not expect the team to have complete control over conditions during the tournament.
He explained that International Cricket Council (ICC) events place restrictions on how much influence host teams can have over playing surfaces and other conditions.
“We will try our best to gain some home advantage, but for ICC events it’s very difficult because the curators like ICC are basically in control of everything. But yes, we will try and take some advantage where we can, fair advantage that is,” said Raza.
The captain nevertheless believes Zimbabwe can make the most of the opportunities available while preparing to compete against some of the world’s leading cricket nations.
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