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Sikandar Raza says Super 8 is “a tick, not the entire box” as Zimbabwe eye respect and greater goals after historic T20 World Cup qualification with a game to spare.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza through the washed out game vs Ireland.
(AP)
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza says his team aren’t content with securing the Super-Eight qualification within the 2026 T20 World Cup, saying it’s ‘a tick within the box but not the entire box’. He said the larger goal for his team is now to earn respect and recognition for Zimbabwe by doing greater things in the following matches.
Raza and Co. secured back-to-back wins over Oman and Australia to kick-start the tournament. On Tuesday (February 17), a wash-out of their third match against Ireland allowed them to get to 5 points, greater than what the Aussies and the Irish can mathematically achieve, and thus make it to the following round.
“To qualify for Super 8 with a game to spare for the primary time in our history is definitely no small achievement. It’s an achievement that our whole country and folks should enjoy,” Raza said on the post-match press conference, as quoted by PTI. “Yes, Super 8 is definitely a tick within the box, however it’s definitely not the entire box we set out for. But that is just one among those things we now have ticked from the box, but we’ve got other things to attain and everybody stays committed and focused for that.
“One in every of the goals we set out for was definitely that we’re going to bring more recognition and respect to our country.”
Zimbabwe will now face South Africa, India and the West Indies within the Super-Eight, aiming to secure a top-two finish and a first-ever semi-final within the competition.
‘The fact’
Raza also recalled the time when Zimbabwe needed to come back through the gruelling route of Qualifiers due to a dip of their ICC rankings, and the way it needed them to simply accept reality without shame.
“I remember after we were told that we now have to play the sub-regional Qualifier B in Kenya, I remember sitting down with the squad and said either we feel sorry for ourselves and be ashamed or actually understand the fact. The fact is it is due to us we’re on this mess and it’s only us who can get it out, so either all of us get together and work towards a singular goal which is to win this tournament, win the qualifiers get to the World Cup after which write our own history and story,” he said.
“And all of us got together and all of us unanimously agree that, yes, it’s our own fault because we kept many of the same squad. And we said it is due to us and only us can get it out. And yes, our country do deserve more respect and recognition. I took lots of blame and criticism as a pacesetter,” Raza added.
February 17, 2026, 23:13 IST
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