ZIMBABWE Cricket captain Sikandar Raza has put the country’s badge on top priority ahead of the result when the Chevrons take on Australia in the ongoing T20 World Cup match at Premadasa, Colombo this morning.
Hosts Sri Lanka currently lead Group B on four points from two matches, while Australia and Zimbabwe are tied on two points, having played a match each.
Raza, the ICC Men’s T20 cricket leading all-rounder, said they will play for the badge and country.
“Expectation is to play a good brand of cricket, an exciting brand of cricket, make our country, make our nation proud and earn respect out there on the field for our country,” Raza told NewsDay Sport yesterday.
“To be honest, that’s about it, and the results will look after themselves. Not just after winning the first match.
“The way the boys are prepared and everything, I think the confidence is very high in the squad, and rightly so. I think, as you know, in sports, confidence goes a long way.
“So, we’re staying humble, and we still have our eye on the game tomorrow, but yeah, we’re very confident for a very good match.”
Zimbabwe head coach Justin Sammons concurred with his skipper.
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“I think what we need to bring is that execution. We’ve got to make sure we’re on point with the execution, and then our energy and intensity just need to be, you know, we need to surpass them in that department,” he said.
“They always bring energy, they always bring intensity, they’re a highly intense side, and they play with it, you know, and we’ve got to better that. We’ve got to want it more at the end of the day, which I think our guys are desperate for it, you know.”
Sammons wants the players to express themselves freely and not be intimidated by Australia’s rich resume.
“Yeah, and I think we’ve got to approach it in a fearless way, you know. I want the guys to express themselves, I want them to go out and enjoy themselves, I don’t want them to go into their shells and be tentative,” he added.
“And I think that’s also important for us, you know, you look at the associate teams and what they've done against the bigger nations.
“They probably haven’t got over the line, but they certainly are able to play a fearless brand.
“You know, there’s no expectation on them, and they just go and play, and I certainly, I’m hoping that our guys go and do that as best they can.”
SRC commissioner and vice-chairperson Shingai Rhuhwaya paid a courtesy call on the team during its practice at the match venue yesterday.
She congratulated the team on being at the World Cup.
“They’ve put in a lot of work to get here. They’ve played well in their first match against Oman, and what we want to see is them carry the momentum through to this game,” she said.
“We have history playing Australia in a T20, and it’s good history.
“(An) upsetting victory in 2007, granted it was a different squad, a different city, but they carry the same Zimbabwean spirit, and we are really keen to see that shine through tomorrow against Australia.
“So, we are 100% behind them as a nation, 100% behind them as the SRC.”
Added Rhuhwaya: “There are lots of young men, young kids, young women as well, that are going to be watching these guys.
“They’ve seen them grow up through the system. So, it’s really important that they just have their best foot forward tomorrow, and we expect nothing less. It’s a good team.
“They gel very well together. We saw some great individual performances, but T20 is about everybody carrying their weight.”
