SIKANDAR Raza has given Zimbabwe cricket another reason to celebrate after rising to the very top of the ICC Men’s ODI All-Rounder Rankings.
Raza reached the top after a series of outstanding performances against Sri Lanka in Harare, where he scored two half-centuries and bowled tightly, including figures of one for 48 in the opening match. His efforts lifted him to 302 ranking points, putting him ahead of Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi on 292 and Azmatullah Omarzai on 296.
At 38, Raza continues to shine for Zimbabwe. Alongside his rise as the top all-rounder, he also moved up nine places to number 22 in the ODI batting rankings, showing his growing influence with the bat.
Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Givemore Makoni hailed the achievement as a moment of pride for both the player and the country.
“We are immensely proud of Sikandar Raza for rising to the very top of the ICC ODI All-Rounder Rankings,” Makoni said. “His consistency, resilience and match-winning qualities continue to inspire not only his teammates but the whole of Zimbabwe.”
Raza was not the only Zimbabwean making progress. Veteran Sean Williams climbed seven places to 16th among ODI all-rounders and moved up to 47th in the batting charts after his steady performances in the same series.
“Sean Williams has also shown once again why he is such a vital part of our team, with his consistent contributions both with bat and ball,” Makoni added. “We extend our appreciation to him and indeed the entire squad for their fighting spirit and encouraging displays against Sri Lanka.”
On the bowling front, left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava remains Zimbabwe’s top-ranked bowler, now sitting at number 20 in the world. Raza also features among the top 40 bowlers, ranked 38th.
As a team, Zimbabwe are placed 11th on the ICC Men’s ODI rankings, but the latest movements suggest the side is pushing in the right direction.
“These rankings movements show that our players are competing hard at the highest level,” Makoni said. “While results did not go our way against Sri Lanka, the individual performances point to a promising future as we continue building towards greater success.”
