Zim Afro T10: Tournament will help my countrymen to improve their skill sets, says Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza

Harare, July 12: Star all-rounder Sikandar Raza, who will turn out for the Bulawayo Braves in the first-ever Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10, has said the tournament will help the players in Zimbabwe improve their skill sets.

The excitement is building up at a rapid pace as the highly anticipated Zim Afro T10 is set to commence in less than two weeks, with the opening match of the tournament scheduled for July 20.

A total of five squads will compete for the ultimate glory in the inaugural edition of the competition, which marks franchise cricket's first foray into Zimbabwe. The Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 is being organised by Zimbabwe Cricket and T Ten Global Sports.

The star all-rounder Raza, who has been part of various franchise leagues across the world, explained that franchise cricket has helped him raise his overall standards, which has been reflected in his performances for the Zimbabwean team.

"Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 would always be closer to my heart because this is the first time any franchise tournament is coming to Zimbabwe. What I'm really excited about is that this tournament will help my fellow countrymen to improve their skill sets which will ultimately benefit our national team," Raza said during a virtual press conference.

Raza further opened up about how franchise cricket, especially T10, has helped him on a personal level in making better decisions and problem-solving techinques.

"Cricket leagues have immensely helped me in developing my game, my skills, analysing the situation. Moreover, T10 helps me in making a decision quicker and come up with a better solution so that I can execute better," Raza added.

"Hence, it's safe to say that franchise cricket has enhanced my overall abilities as a cricketer courtesy of which I have been able to perform for the national team as well."

The T10 is the fastest format in the game, and the Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10, which has some of the most impactful players in the mix, promises some high-octane action during the Zimbabwean winter.

Raza said, "We can expect fast-paced games, a lot of wickets, a lot of runs, a lot of great catches in the tournament. It's a platform where everybody can showcase their skills, whether you have a ball in hand or bat in hand or even if you're just on the ground. It is such a fast-paced game that you would see that players will have to develop their skills very quickly."

Meanwhile, the head coach of Bulawayo Braves, Dougie Brown, echoed Raza's thoughts and said, "Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 will serve as a platform for young players in Zimbabwe to learn and develop from some of the best players in the world.

"It's a big opportunity for the players who might not necessarily be at the forefront of Zimbabwe cricket right now, but over the course of time, they are going to be."

"There's a huge opportunity for everybody, whether they play a big or small part in the tournament. There's so much learning that can take place over the course of the 10 days of the tournament.

"The competition is about giving the youngsters confidence, about solving problems in that moment, making decisions really smartly, managing the game really quickly," he added.

The inaugural edition of the Zim Afro T10 league will start with the opening ceremony followed by the opening match between Harara Hurricanes and Bulawayo Braves on Thursday (July 20) at the Harare Sports Club in Harare.

Source: Media Release