A key member of the Zimbabwe squad that toured Pakistan, twenty-nine year old Sikandar Raza became an instant hit with the local crowds not only due to his friendly demeanor but also due to an excellent 100 off just 84 deliveries which he scored in the 2nd One-Day International (ODI). In a sense, his innings in front of a huge crowd in Lahore was no great surprise as it was built upon a ODI career which consists of 30 matches in which he has scored 839 runs. He has also been called upon to bowl spin for his side in ODIs where he now has 8 wickets and a very respectable economy rate of 5.58.
In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, Sikandar Raza spoke about his connections with Pakistan, the controversy behind payments made to Zimbabwe players for their tour of Pakistan, his abiding memories of the tour of Pakistan and why he recently referred to Shoaib Malik as his teacher.
PakPassion.net (PP) : Why did you leave Pakistan and chose to play for Zimbabwe?
Sikandar Raza (SR): This question gets asked a lot of times so let me make this as clear as possible for everyone. I never played any serious cricket during my stay in Pakistan and cricket was the last thing on my mind at that point in my life. I wanted to concentrate on my studies and in fact, I wanted to be a fighter pilot! So any stories or suggestions that the PCB did something wrong to me or neglected me or I became disillusioned with Pakistan or its cricket is simply untrue.
There is nothing owed by the PCB nor do I owe anything to PCB in that regard. I did not play any club cricket in Pakistan and I had no aspirations to play for Pakistan at all. I resent these stories made up by some people for reasons best known to themselves. The truth is that my family migrated to Zimbabwe and that’s how I arrived in the country and with the Almighty’s help, have found a place in the Zimbabwe team.
PP: Considering the examples of Imran Tahir and Fawad Ahmed, do you think the concept of playing for the country of your birth is now more of a romantic notion in today’s world?
SR: Regardless of why Imran Tahir and Fawad Ahmed chose to leave Pakistan, the fact is that ALLAH had a plan for them. Once again I stress, Imran and Fawad are abused for leaving Pakistan but why cannot we accept that in the higher scheme of things, they weren’t meant to play for Pakistan? Why are there such negative connotations associated with this whole subject? I am very good friends with Tahir but he’s never spoken to me on this subject as it’s just not important. Was the Pakistan cricket setup harsh on Imran? I would not know but what we do know is that he is where he is and he is happy. It is very common to hear terms like “Pakistan born Zimbabwean batsman” or “Pakistan born South African leg-spinner” being mentioned and in a strange way, one must admit that this has brought some fame for Pakistan so it’s not all negative.
PP: In terms of your style of play, do you draw inspiration from any particular cricketer or personality?
SR: To be honest, I fell in love with the game. So basically, I didn’t start to play cricket because of a cricketer but I started to play the game because of my interest in cricket itself. It’s not about following personalities. If a tail-ender plays a good shot then I will walk up to him and ask him how he played it or did he do anything different to get that result. If there is one person that I do draw inspiration from then that’s got to be my grandfather who taught me a lot about life which helps me in cricket as well.
PP: Hashim Amla and Moeen Ali are two well-known Muslim cricketers who’s religious affiliation is no secret. Do you feel that your religion has a role to play in your game as well?
SR: Let me say that I am from a family with a deep religious background and my religious beliefs not only play a role in my game but more importantly in my life as well.