The Sunday News
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE all-rounder Sikandar Raza has received his caps for making it into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty20 Internationals and One Day International Teams of the Year for 2022.
The 36-year-old Raza, who is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the International League T20 (ILT20) where he turns out for the Dubai Capitals confirmed on his social media that he has received the caps after a splendid 2022 he had in white ball cricket.
“These are the moments when one’s lost for words and that’s exactly how I feel. Incredibly honoured and humbled to have received my caps for #t20 and #odi team of the year #alhamdulillah and #alwaysalhamdulillah for everything. Thank you all for your prayers,” he posted on Twitter.
Players who make the team of the year are given special caps by the sport’s world governing body as reward for their brilliant performances.
The Zimbabwean stalwart is part of the list of international stars that impressed with the bat, ball and through their all-round performances throughout the year 2022. In the 20 over team, he made the cut alongside Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Virat Kohli, Glen Phillips, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Sam Curran, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harris Rauf and Josh Little.
Sikandar Raza wearing ICC cap
Raza scored 745 runs during in T20Is in 2022 at a strike rate of over 150, 250 runs more than the next Zimbabwean batsmen. With the ball in hand, he led the charts with 25 scalps at a strike rate of 6.13 runs per over.
He was also voted player of the tournament at the T20 World Cup Qualifier B in July in Bulawayo and played a massive role in Zimbabwe qualifying for the Super 12 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia which saw him being chosen in the tournament’s best eleven.
In the 50 over format, he aggregated 645 runs at an average of 49.61 and strike rate of 87.16, making two fifties to complement three centuries, helping the team win a 50 over series for the first time since 2017.
Other who made it into the ODI team are Babar Azam, Travis Head, Shai Hope, Shreyas Iyer, Tom Latham, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Siraj, Trent Boult and Adam Zampa. – Follow on Twitter @brandon_malvin
