Sikandar Raza Reaches Major T20I Milestone in Commanding Win Over Sri Lanka

RAWALPINDI: Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza achieved another milestone on Thursday in the tri-series between Zim vs SL when he became the second Zimbabwean bowler to take 100 wickets in the format.

Raza classically achieved this, as he bowled to Kamindu Mendis in his third over, and dismissed him for nine, and defended 162.

This wicket also earned Raza a place in the exclusive club of Zimbabwe’s 100-wicket-takers, alongside his colleague Richard Ngarava, who is now top of the lists with 106 scalps.

Most wickets for Zimbabwe in men’s T20Is:

• Richard Ngarava – 106 wickets in 89* matches
   
• Sikandar Raza – 100 wickets in 125* matches
   
• Blessing Muzarabani – 93 wickets in 83 matches
   
• Luke Jongwe – 66 wickets in 65 matches
   
• Tendai Chatara – 65 wickets in 60 matches

To add to the event, Raza is also the third player in the history of men's T20I to score over 1,000 runs and to claim 100 wickets, behind Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh and Mohammad Nabi of Afghanistan.

Shakib leads the elite team with 2,551 runs and 149 wickets, Nabi comes second with 2,417 runs, 104 dismissals, and now Raza is beside them with 2,823 runs and 100 wickets.

But it wasn’t just the milestone that defined the night. The overall performance that Raza delivered steered Zimbabwe to a 67-run win over Sri Lanka and won him the Player of the Match award.

Zimbabwe took a lead in the toss and opened with a good score of 162-8 with a steady 49 by Brian Bennett and a big 47 by Raza on 32 balls.

In response, Sri Lanka was unable to find any rhythm and was dismissed for 95, handing Zimbabwe a dominant victory.