Sikandar Raza picks his top five all-rounders of all time, including one Indian [Exclusive]

Zimbabwe’s star skipper Sikandar Raza recently shared his top five all-rounders and moments from his own illustrious career. In an exclusive conversation with CricTracker, the 39-year-old revealed his list, which includes one Indian. He also shared his admiration for certain finishers and his IPL aspirations.

Raza, who has been a key player in the Zimbabwe cricket team for almost a decade, has been instrumental in putting the country’s name on the world map. Under his leadership, Zimbabwe recently qualified for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup after beating Kenya in the semi-finals.

He also discussed whether he would like to play in the Indian Premier League again after playing for Punjab Kings in the 2023 edition. The veteran said that representing an IPL franchise not only boosts a player’s confidence but also provides a platform to test his skills against the very best.

Fragments

You have played in many competitions (national, international). What different circumstances have challenged you the most?

So the most challenging condition I was in, or I think is Dhaka. BPL in Dhaka or international tour, international matches I played in Dhaka definitely got that challenge, a different challenge.

Is there a moment from your international career that you will always be proud of (a match, a knockout, a bowling spell)?

I think on a personal level, the number one in the world in ODI cricket, and the first Zimbabwean in white-ball cricket to get there, is suddenly at the top because it puts Zimbabwe on the map. It brings more respect to Zimbabwe. So that’s definitely one of the things I’m very proud of.

Who do you think is underrated in the world of cricket (batting or bowling) at the moment – someone people should pay attention to?

I think people watch a lot of Test Nations, but I’m a big supporter of the non-Test Nations. A man from the recent past who I think is very underrated is George Munsey from Scotland.

If you had to pick one Indian finisher for Zimbabwe, would it be MS Dhoni or Hardik Pandya?

So that depends. Are Zimbabwe looking for a wicketkeeper, batsman or all-rounder? Because they are both good options. I choose MS. MS Dhoni.

Which young Indian batsman excites you the most at the moment?

Abhishek Sharma

Would you like to play in the IPL again? If so, which team would you ideally like to represent?

Everyone wants to be a part of IPL. Alhamdulillah, I managed to be a part of the IPL. Everyone wants to win matches in IPL. So if I am not a part of IPL in the future, I am absolutely at peace with that. And if I am, then Alhamdulillah. It’s such a big tournament. It’s such a prestigious tournament where every team, because at the end of the day you’re playing against… It’s basically the best against the best. So you end up playing against the best to test yourself where you stand in the cricket world. So it doesn’t really matter which team if I’m chosen.

Your top five all-rounders of all time?

Jacques Kallis, Shakib Al Hasan, Shahid Afridi, Ravindra Jadeja and DJ Bravo

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