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Pakistani cricketer wants to play for Zim
DANIEL NHAKANISO | HARARE - Nov 18 2010 17:37

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Pakistan-born cricketer and Southern Rocks right-hand batsman Sikandar Raza Butt (24) wants to play for Zimbabwe.

Raza confirmed the news in an interview with NewsDay on Thursday.

“Playing for the Zimbabwe national team will be the ideal thing for me. It’s something that I’ve been looking foward to since I decided to become a professional cricketer.” said Butt.

“The level of cricket here is now very high and I know I have to continue working hard and be consistent at this level of the game.

“Playing alongside players like Brian Lara, Steve Tikolo, Tatenda Taibu and Chamunorwa Chibhabha has been a positive influence in the development of my game,” said Butt.

Butt scored a match-winning knock of 93 off 48 balls to help his side beat Matabeleland Tuskers by 41 runs on Wednesday.

The Rocks’ opening batsman came to Zimbabwe when his family migrated from Pakistan in 2002 as a 15-year-old and says he has fallen in love with the country.

He played domestic cricket intermittently for the then local side Northerns before moving to Scotland (Langside College) for his studies where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in software engineering.

“After my studies I spoke to my dad about my wish to take cricket on a full-time basis and that’s when Givemore Makoni (Southern Rocks chief executive) signed me for last year’s Twenty20 tournament.
“Since then I have never looked back.”

im glad he wants to play for the country but what confuses me was why his family decided to go to zim of all places in 2002, when zims social/olitical problems was on the rise?

I should imagine Zimbabwe in 2002 and its socio-political issues pale into comparison compared to Pakistan's.

ZIMDOGGY wrote:im glad he wants to play for the country but what confuses me was why his family decided to go to zim of all places in 2002, when zims social/olitical problems was on the rise?

Asians hav alwez med money in countries which are politicaly unstabl. They're unlik most of us who wher taught to go to skul & look fo a job.

i think he is showing great form, pity there no 20-20I soon

andy24 wrote:i think he is showing great form, pity there no 20-20I soon

Find out his status and take him on the tour to Bangladesh

Conant wrote:

andy24 wrote:i think he is showing great form, pity there no 20-20I soon

Find out his status and take him on the tour to Bangladesh

i think that wil b good , giv him a coupl of games whilst he's stil in form. I dont think he wil do a lot worse than Dabengw, Williams & Tiba

Raza is a useful addition to Zimbabwean cricket. Not sure if he is cut out for international cricket, but at the very least if he is eligible he could be selected for some 'A' team tours.

When was the last time Zimbabwe had an asian player, I am guessing Ali Omarshah was the last?

Dion Ebraham...lol

heres a thought....do you think any of the imports to the teams wold fall in love with the place and adopt themselves as zimboks-making them eligible for the national team?


We have Raza in the bag (although hes been living here a while) and i have a strong feeling riki wessells might be trying to qualify himself.... but do you think we could pick up one or two of the fringe county players we have in the ranks? Most have been here 2 yrs now.


It can only add to our batting depth. i say batting because theres not many bowling imports unusually.