Sikandar Raza Makes History as First Full Member Cricketer with 3,000 Runs and 100 Wickets in T20Is
Historic Achievement for Zimbabwe's Captain
Sikandar Raza, the captain of Zimbabwe, has made a remarkable entry into the record books by becoming the first cricketer from a Full Member nation to achieve the milestone of 3,000 runs and 100 wickets in Men's T20 Internationals.
This significant accomplishment occurred during Zimbabwe's Super Eight match against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday. Raza reached the 3,000-run mark with his 15th run in the game, making him the 14th player globally to surpass this milestone in T20Is. The 39-year-old all-rounder, who debuted in T20Is in 2013, achieved this feat in his 132nd match.
Joining an Exclusive Club of All-Rounders
Currently, Raza boasts a total of 3,016 runs in 132 matches (127 innings), maintaining an average of 26.22 and a strike rate exceeding 136. His impressive record includes one century and 16 half-centuries. With the ball, he has taken 104 wickets at an average of 23.94, featuring two four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul. As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Raza is only the second player in history to achieve the rare combination of 3,000 runs and 100 wickets in T20Is, with Malaysia's Virandeep Singh being the first.
Significant Milestones and National Impact
In the same Super Eight match, Raza reached another important milestone in his T20 career. By scoring his seventh run of the innings, he crossed the 7,000-run mark in T20 cricket overall. Across 348 T20 matches, he has recorded one century and 37 fifties, showcasing his durability and consistency in the shortest format.
Importantly, Raza is the only Zimbabwean cricketer to have surpassed 3,000 runs in T20Is, with no other player from the nation even nearing the 2,000-run threshold. Ryan Burl follows as the second-highest scorer for Zimbabwe in T20Is with 1,943 runs.
Performance in a Crucial Match
In the match against India, Raza contributed 31 runs off 21 balls and also took a wicket while bowling. Unfortunately, Zimbabwe lost the match by a significant margin of 72 runs, resulting in their elimination from the tournament.