Sikandar Raza etched his name further into cricket history by setting multiple world records during Zimbabwe's stunning six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their T20 World Cup clash on February 19. The veteran captain was adjudged Player of the Match at the R. Premadasa Stadium after leading his side to a historic chase of 179 with four balls to spare. This triumph followed an earlier upset against Australia, securing Zimbabwe’s place at the top of Group B and confirming their status as a major force in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Sikandar Raza creates big World Record
The 39-year-old was the undisputed catalyst for the chase, arriving at the crease with the game in the balance. Sikandar Raza immediately shifted the momentum, dismantling the Sri Lankan attack with a blistering 45 runs off just 26 deliveries. His knock, characterised by a strike rate of 173.08, included two boundaries and four massive sixes that effectively took the game away from the hosts.
Beyond his heroics with the bat, Raza played a disciplined role with the ball earlier in the evening. He completed his full four-over quota, conceding only 36 runs and providing crucial stability in the middle overs. By combining this economical bowling performance with his match-winning aggression, Raza became the driving force behind Zimbabwe's undefeated run into the Super 8 stage.
Sikandar Raza’s Player of the Match (POTM) award against Sri Lanka was a historic milestone, marking the 20th time he has received the honor in T20Is. With this achievement, he became the first player from a Full Member nation to reach this mark, effectively winning a high-stakes race against Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, who currently sits on 17 awards. Virat Kohli, who previously held the record for the most POTM awards among Test-playing nations for much of his active T20I career, now ranks third with 16. In the global standings, Raza trails only Malaysia's Virandeep Singh, who leads the all-time list with 22 awards.
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Raza becomes oldest captain ever to win a POTM award in ICC event & T20 WC
Raza also rewrote the record books by surpassing Rohit Sharma to become the oldest captain ever to win a POTM award in both an ICC event and the T20 World Cup. Rohit had previously established these benchmarks during India's successful 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy campaigns. Raza’s longevity at the elite level was further highlighted by his age of 39 years and 301 days on the day of the victory, underscoring his enduring impact on the international stage.
On the list of the oldest players to win a POTM award in T20 World Cup history, Raza now ranks second, trailing only Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya, who won the prize at 39 years and 345 days in 2009. Raza’s latest accolade places him in an elite group of just five players to have received the award after their 39th birthday. This distinguished list includes other veterans of the game such as Shoaib Malik, Tilakaratne Dilshan, and David Wiese.