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Sikandar Raza scripted history on Sunday (January 14) as he became the first-ever batsman in T20I history to score five consecutive half-centuries, eclipsing the likes of Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum, who have scored half-centuries in four consecutive games.
Zimbabwe took on Sri Lanka in the first T20I at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Zimbabwe posted 143 runs on the board, courtesy of Raza’s valiant 62-run knock, which was his 13th T20I fifty.
In reply, Sri Lanka were reduced to 83-6 after 14 overs, thanks to Raza’s unplayable spell of 3-13 in his four overs.
However, the hosts won the game on the last ball, much to the dismay of the Zimbabweans. But it was a spirited performances from the African nation, who were led from the front by Raza.
He also created another record as he became the first player to score a fifty and take at least two wickets in five consecutive games.
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Which IPL team does Sikandar Raza play for?
Raza was always a very good player, showing a level-headed approach to his batting and a more-than-handy off-spin bowling in the middle overs.
However, the world took notice of his talent and skill at the 2022 T20 World Cup which was held in Australia.
In eight games, he scored 219 runs and took 10 wickets, which showcased how good an all-rounder he is in the shortest format.
The veteran Zimbabwean was bought by Punjab Kings at the IPL 2023 auctions for just INR 50 lakh.
He proved to be a valuable asset to the team, scoring 139 runs in seven games at a strike rate of 141.84. That included a half-century in a tricky run chase, which helped PBKS notch a win against the Lucknow Super Giants. He also took three wickets.
The Zimbabwe skipper has been retained by PBKS for IPL 2024.
Sikandar Raza batting stats in IPL:
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | S.R. | 50s | 100s | Best |
| 7 | 7 | 139 | 27.80 | 141.84 | 1 | 0 | 57* |
Sikandar Raza bowling stats in IPL:
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Average | S.R. | Econ. | 5-fers | Best |
| 7 | 6 | 3 | 39.67 | 24.00 | 9.92 | 0 | 1-19 |
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What next for Sikandar Raza?
The 37-year-old will be eager to help Zimbabwe level the three-match T20I series in the second T20I against Sri Lanka, which will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday (January 16).
