Zimbabwe T20 Captain vows improvement after series...

Zimbabwe T20 Captain vows improvement after series loss to India

Zim Now Writer

Sikandar Raza, captain of the Zimbabwe T20 team, has acknowledged a disappointing series defeat to India but remains optimistic about the future. India dominated the five-match series, winning 4-1, with Zimbabwe only managing to clinch the opening encounter.

Raza, ever the pragmatist, is clear-eyed about the team's shortcomings. "We made a lot of mistakes on the field which allowed the opponents to come again and again," he admitted. While acknowledging the positives, Raza emphasizes the need to address these mistakes.

This series marked the debut of new coach Justin Sammons and featured a young Zimbabwe squad with an average age of 27. Raza sees potential in this youthful team, believing they have "all the right ingredients to be a mid-table team."

However, he recognizes the need for guidance and development. "The team needs a little bit of love, care, nurturing, and sometimes a bit of harsh words as well," he said. Time is a pressing concern, with the qualifiers for the 2026 T20 World Cup looming. "We have to pull up our socks," Raza declared.

The 2026 T20 World Cup is the primary target for both Raza and coach Sammons. Sammons inherited a team in flux after Dave Houghton's resignation in December 2023, following their failure to qualify for the recently concluded World Cup. Interim coaches Walter Chawaguta and Steward Matsikenyere experienced losses during tours of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, respectively.