Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza has publicly taken responsibility for his recent batting struggles, admitting that his performance has let the team down following their 90-run defeat to India in the second T20I in Harare. The loss resulted in India securing the T20I series with one match remaining.
Chasing a target of 220, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 129. While Raza acknowledged that the team's openers provided a decent start, he pointed to a combination of inexperience and poor shot selection as recurring issues for the squad. However, he emphasized that the primary concern is his own inability to contribute effectively with the bat as the side's leader.
Raza is currently enduring a difficult run in the format, having recorded three consecutive single-digit scores. This includes dismissals for 4 and 0 against India, following a score of 3 against Bangladesh. His lack of runs has coincided with a broader struggle for the team, which has managed totals of only 143 and 126 while batting first in their last three T20Is, alongside the 129-run total in the second match against India.
Addressing his form, the captain noted that the responsibility is on him to rectify the situation, as the team requires both his batting and bowling contributions to succeed. He expressed his determination to turn his performance around ahead of the final T20I, scheduled for Sunday in Harare, where Zimbabwe will attempt to avoid a 3-0 series sweep.
"Yeah, we were going to go for it anyway, and if you look at our openers as well, I think they gave us that sort of a start we needed," Raza said. "Unfortunately, I think it all comes down to sometimes inexperience, [and] sometimes the shot selection, where we're letting ourselves down. But most importantly, I think I as a captain leading the team has been letting the team down with my bat."
"But the onus is on me to try and get it right because my team needs my runs and bowling, and unfortunately it hasn't been the case in the past two T20 games," he said. "I'll try my best to turn it around because the team could do really well with my runs."
