Watch: Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza put out the best of his big-hitting skills on display, blazing to a fifty off just 15 balls during the inaugural Zim Afro T10 League in Harare.
Leading the Bulawayo Braves, Raza slammed a 21-ball 70, replete with six sixes and five fours, to power his side to a seven-wicket win against the Harare Hurricanes. They chased 135 in 10 overs.
Walking in at No.3 in the third over, Raza proceeded to put on a rapid 118-run stand in just five overs with Kobe Herft. He targeted the spin trio of Mohammad Nabi, Samit Patel and Brandon Mavuta – one Nabi over went for three fours – keeping the run rate going as the Braves closed in on the chase. The quicks weren’t spared either: he smashed Christopher Mpofu for a six and two fours in a three-ball sequence.
Nandre Burger eventually had him caught, but Raza still finished with a strike rate of 333, departing only at the end of the ninth over and ensuring the Braves only required one more ball to wrap up the chase.
Earlier, the Hurricanes put on 134-4, courtesy Evin Lewis’s 19-ball 49 and Robin Uthappa’s 15-ball 32 at the top. Irfan Pathan’s 9-ball 18 at the end ensured the Hurricanes finished well.
With the win, the Braves are now third on the points table, joint with the Hurricanes on points but with a better net run rate. Raza is currently the tournament’s second-highest run-getter, behind Tim Seifert.
Watch Raza smash a 15-ball half-century in Zim Afro T10 2023:
FASTEST 50 OF THE TOURNAMENT! ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Who else but @SRazaB24#ZimAfroT10 #CricketsFastestFormat #T10League #InTheWild #BBvHH pic.twitter.com/rHey08rmGI
— ZimAfroT10 (@ZimAfroT10) July 24, 2023