Will Sikandar Raza Reverse Retirement? Zimbabwe Star Reveals Big Decision Ahead Of Cricket World Cup 2027 At Home

Zimbabwe’s ODI and T20I captain Sikandar Raza asserted that his country’s possible entry into the World Test Championship for the 2027-30 cycle will not have any impact on his decision to retire after next year’s 50-over World Cup in Africa.

Zimbabwe will co-host the 2027 ODI World Cup alongside South Africa and Namibia.

“The fact that I am coming to the end of my career as well, and to have an opportunity to play a home World Cup is certainly a blessing for me from a personal point of view,” Raza said during a media interaction hosted by mobile gaming platform SIXR Cricket.

“Every cricketer dreams of having retired or to retire after playing a cricketing World Cup,” he added.

But will he revisit his decision to retire if Zimbabwe enters the WTC during its 2027-30 cycle?

“Would I be tempted? No, I will not be tempted. I have come to peace with the decisions that I am making in life.

“I'll not be a guy who will, when the time comes, call it off and then say, 'I'm taking my retirement back.' It will not happen. That's not me,” he said.

However, Raza was confident that the WTC entry will help Zimbabwe’s growth as a cricketing nation.

“If that happens, I will be the first guy who will be in support of that. If Zimbabwe is part of WTC, we might not be able to do well at the start, but one thing I do know…our cricketing growth eventually — not eventually, quickly — will go up. Our performances will get better, and not just in Test cricket,” he said.

The all-rounder attributed a significant part of his own development as a cricketer to the longest format, despite having played only 22 Tests in his career.

“A lot of my cricketing development the world has seen has come through Test cricket. I played, I think, eight to nine Test matches earlier on. I know I've only got 15 or 16 Test matches in total.

“But in the early years of my career I played a lot of Test cricket as well, and my cricketing development has happened through Test cricket,” he said.

No Home Advantage

The 40-year-old acknowledged that securing home advantage will be a tough task for the host nations in the upcoming World Cup.

“We'll try our best to gain some home advantage, but for ICC events, it's very difficult because the ICC is in control of everything.

“But yeah, we will try and take some advantage where we can. Fair advantage, that is,” he said.

Zimbabwe's fixture against India on October 24, 2027 will also mark the first World Cup match at the newly-built Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls.

“We are really excited that our new stadium will be launched in the next few months. I do think we have fixtures there early next year as well. So, we are really looking forward to it," he said.

“What to expect from Victoria Falls? As much as cricket is important, but I think outside cricket, beautiful sightings, a peaceful sleep because you can hear the falls, a lovely sunset and some great human beings and a hospitable environment for everyone,” he added.

New Zimbabwe Stars

Raza predicted a bright future for batter Brian Bennett and bowler Newman Nyamhuri.

“I'll give you a batter and a bowler, Brian Bennett and Newman Nyamhuri are probably two guys that you will see a lot of even when the senior boys are gone,” he said.