Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, with a stellar performance against Sri Lanka in a T20I, has equaled Muttiah Muralitharan's tally of 1347 wickets and surpassed Virender Sehwag to win his 32nd Player of the Match award.
Sports News: Sikandar Raza stole the show in the second match of the three-match T20I series between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka with his outstanding performance. Thanks to captain Raza's excellent bowling and leadership, Zimbabwe restricted Sri Lanka to just 80 runs, securing a memorable victory. This performance also provided him with an opportunity to set records in international cricket.
Sri Lanka's Shameful Performance
In the second match of the series, Sri Lanka was bowled out for a mere 80 runs while batting first. They failed to even complete their allotted 20 overs, being dismissed in 17.4 overs. It was evident from this score that the middle order had completely collapsed.
Kamil Mishara contributed the most to the team's score with 20 runs, followed by captain Charith Asalanka with 18 runs, and Dasun Shanaka with 15 runs. All other batsmen failed to reach double digits. This score became Sri Lanka's second-lowest total in the T20I format. Previously, in June 2024, they had scored 77 runs against South Africa.
Zimbabwe's Victory Fueled by Sikandar Raza's Superb Bowling
Sikandar Raza made the biggest contribution to Zimbabwe's victory. He scalped three wickets, conceding just 11 runs in his four overs. His victims included Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, and Dushmantha Chameera. For this outstanding performance, he was awarded the Player of the Match.
Sikandar Raza has now won the Player of the Match award for the 18th time in T20Is. This achievement places him as the second-highest recipient of this award. Malaysia's Virandeep Singh tops this list, having won the award 22 times. Suryakumar Yadav is in third place, having been named Player of the Match 16 times.
Equaling Muttiah Muralitharan's Record
With this match, Sikandar Raza claimed his 32nd Player of the Match award in international cricket. This accomplishment helped him surpass Virender Sehwag's record. He also equaled the feat of Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan, who took 1347 wickets in international cricket.
Sikandar Raza's achievement makes him a memorable figure in the history of Zimbabwe cricket. Through his consistent good performances and responsible leadership, he led the team to victory and propelled his personal career to new heights.
Record Comparison
In international cricket, Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most Player of the Match awards, with 76 awards in 664 matches. Virat Kohli has received this honor 69 times. Sikandar Raza has now secured his place on this list by winning the award 32 times.
Furthermore, by reaching parity with Muttiah Muralitharan's 1347 wickets, Raza's bowling has also been etched in history. This accomplishment has not only made him a hero of Zimbabwe cricket but has also strengthened his identity in world cricket.
