Cricket was not my first choice: Sikandar Raza

Raymond Jaravaza, Sunday Life Correspondent

HE might be Pakistani by birth, but in his adopted Zimbabwe, he has become a cult hero, a demi god if you like, embraced by all and sundry and worshipped by cricket lovers.

Two decades ago, Sikandar Raza had no idea his name would be chanted in cricket stadiums in Bulawayo, Harare and as far as Mutare.

For all he knew, even a cricket lover in Beitbridge would be kept glued to their television screen because of him.

That’s because, in the early 2000s, the young Raza’s dream was to pass his ‘A’ Levels back in Pakistani and study abroad.

He had no interest in cricket, his only involvement in the game was watching his uncles play.

The only time he held a cricket bat was the occasional weekend game.

Cricket is a culture in that part of the world and one would swear Pakistanis are born with a cricket ball or bat in their hands.

That’s how much the game is loved in the Asian nation.

“I was born in Pakistan, I didn’t play much cricket, I used to watch my uncles play on weekends.

I did my ‘O’ Levels and ‘A’ Levels in Pakistan and I came here (Zimbabwe) in 2002 (with his family).

A year later I went to the UK for university.  Playing cricket was never my goal, in fact education was my main goal.

It was only when I went to the UK that I started playing club cricket and I told my father that I actually had a good cricket season and I would like to pursue the sport here (in Zimbabwe),” he said.

As the cricket gods would have it, Zimbabwe would soon gain a cricket hero, who has gone on to inspire multitudes of cricket lovers, both young and old.

His first local cricket gig, so to speak, was with the Mashonaland Eagles B team and Raza remembers those days as clear as daylight.

“I remember my days with Mash Eagles B, my performances were awful, they were bad and while I was having the worst cricket season ever, the current ZC (Zimbabwe Cricket) managing director Givemore Makoni was watching me and he said there was a training session for Southern Rocks Cricket Club in Masvingo and he would like me to go there.

Because I had been doing badly with Mash Eagles B, I didn’t see myself going anywhere with my cricket career but the following day I left Harare at 5am and made the afternoon session in Masvingo,” says Raza.

The rest, as they say, is history. But before he could play for the Chevrons, Raza had some legal hurdles to go over. Because he was born in Pakistan, playing for Zimbabwe meant his paperwork had to be in order.

“Because I had permanent residency at that time, I was allowed to play in the country but not for the country so I finished my education first and I remember contemplating whether I should do my Master’s Degree in Software Engineering overseas or I continue playing cricket in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe Cricket tried to speed up the process for me to represent the country, which didn’t happen because the laws of the country say one has to be a resident of Zimbabwe for 10 years before he or she can play for the country.

“In 2013, Zimbabwe Cricket was waiting for my papers to be in order and I remember Mr Banda (Lovemore) accompanying me to the registrar offices and they said all my papers were in order.

The following day I went back with my father for my citizenship and I got my ID (national identity document) and all the other relevant documentation. Ten days later I made my debut for Zimbabwe,” he said.

Zimbabwe must think itself blessed to have a player of Raza’s calibre representing it but the man himself likes to believe he is lucky the country accepted him to be part of the cricket family.

“In the pecking order of things, I would say I’m lucky the country accepted me to play for the Chevrons,”.

Raza is Muslim and although almost the entire squad is Christian, he feels part of the family, who is accepted and loved by the players, coaches, backroom staff and the entire cricket fraternity.

“There is never a time that anything has happened in the team that I would say is against my religion. For instance, if it’s time for prayer, the guys respect that because we are a family.

I remember when I was at Southern Rocks and Castle Lager was one of the sponsors but my shirt came without the Castle Lager logo or anything that has to do with alcohol or gambling.

The organisation has been very respectful towards my religion and beliefs from the very beginning,” said the father of two.

A philanthropist, Raza is involved with a number of charities and says he will continue assisting the less privileged but some of his work will never be known because “when the right hand gives, the left hand must not know”.

— @RaymondJaravaza