Sikandar Raza recorded a sensational hat-trick to assist Zimbabwe beat Rwanda in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier 2023 on Sunday, November 27. Raza displayed his all-round expertise by smashing a fast fifty and claimed the Player of the Match award as properly.
After surprising defeats towards Namibia and Uganda, Zimbabwe had been looking for a much-needed win to maintain their T20 World Cup 2024 qualification hopes alive. Once towards, the newly appointed captain rose to the event with a sensational efficiency to thrash Rwanda by 144 runs at Windhoek’s Wanderers Cricket Ground.
The 37-year-old legend misplaced the toss and was pressured to bat first in their fourth qualifier sport. Raza opened an innings with Tadiwanashe Marumani and the duo pulled off 99 runs for the opening wicket in simply 63 balls. Marumani scored 50 runs whereas Raza top-scored with 58 runs off 36 balls. Ryan Burl performed a cameo knock by smashing 44* runs off 21 balls as Zimbabwe scored 215 runs after dropping 4 wickets.
Rwanda had been no match to Zimbabwe’s improved-blowing assault with Richard Ngarava dismissing opener Oscar Manishimwe on the primary ball of the innings. Zimbabwe bowlers dominated the sport with Raza rounding off the victory with three wickets on three consecutive balls in the nineteenth over.
Raza took three wickets whereas conceding simply three runs to bowl out Rwanada on simply 71 runs. Raza’s all-round heroics helped him declare the Player of the Match award and it was his sixth title in worldwide cricket in 2023. Raza equalled legendary Indian batter Virat Kohli‘s record of six POTM awards in 2023 with a outstanding degree of consistency in white-ball cricket.
The legendary all-rounder can break Kohli’s record with Zimbabwe enjoying two extra video games in the qualifiers this month and have a six-match white-ball sequence scheduled towards Ireland at residence subsequent month.
