By Zim Sport Live Writer
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza said he will retire after next year’s 50-over World Cup and will not change his mind if Zimbabwe join the World Test Championship for the 2027-30 cycle.
Zimbabwe will co-host the 2027 tournament with South Africa and Namibia. Raza, 40, said playing a home World Cup was a personal highlight as his career winds down.
“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 told a media interaction hosted by mobile gaming platform SIXR Cricket.
Asked whether Test status could tempt him to stay on, he was firm.
“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.”
Raza nonetheless backed Zimbabwe’s possible entry into the Test championship, saying it would drive the team’s growth.
“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,” he said.
He also acknowledged that the co-hosts will struggle to gain a home advantage at the World Cup.
“For ICC events, it’s very difficult because the ICC is in control of everything,” he said. “But yeah, we will try and take some advantage where we can. Fair advantage, that is.”
Zimbabwe’s match against India on October 24, 2027 will be the first World Cup fixture at the new Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls.
Meanwhile, Sikandar Raza will lead Zimbabwe in the opening match of the tri-nation series against Bangladesh at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday, standing in for regular captain Richard Ngarava, who is recovering from a back injury.
Zimbabwe have called up two uncapped players for the series: wicketkeeper-batter Tafadzwa Tsiga, 32, and leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa, 29.
Zimbabwe won a three-match ODI series against Bangladesh 2-1 in July and have won four of their last six meetings. The match will be the first ODI between the sides at a neutral venue in 20 years.
Zimbabwe lost 3-0 to Australia last month, though they fell by only one wicket in the final match.
