'Everybody loves an underdog story' - Raza focuses on Super Eight after group‑topping finish
Brian Bennett and Sikandar Raza (Source: ICC)
Published - 20 Feb 2026, 03:09 PM• Read time - 2 mins
Sikandar Raza and his troops produced a remarkable effort against Sri Lanka on Thursday at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo to not only register a six-wicket win but also achieve a top-of-table finish in Group B of the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Raza's men had their task cut out from the outset as they had former champions Australia and Sri Lanka to contend with, and therefore their feat is akin to a shot of adrenaline injected into their veins as the signature ICC event gradually moves towards its business end.
Raza was chuffed with the result against the co-hosts and underlined role clarity as the primary reason behind the overwhelming success for the Chevrons.
"We keep our sights forward. If I keep our eyes on the present, I don't think anyone gave us a chance. To win everyone's hearts and respect, it is a good position to be in," said Raza during the post-match presentation.
"When we lost the toss, all I said to the boys was if we are truly playing good cricket, why does the toss matter. I bowled, and said finger-spinners are not finding a lot of turn, so we can put them under pressure. I came into the changing room and said they were 10 runs short (at the break). We have trained for every situation. Then we have the right personnel to send in at the right time. We have got all those roles clear and that is why you see the confidence in the changing room."
Raza wants to "take one game at a time" and believes that Zimbabwe have a lot of steam left in the tank to spring a surprise or two during the Super Eight stage and make it to the semis.
"We take one game at a time. We arrive on 21st, and then train on 22nd, and then it is show-time. Whatever happens, happens. If we can win two out of three games, who knows what can happen. Everyone loves an underdog story," he added.
Zimbabwe are placed in Group 1 alongside West Indies, India, and South Africa for the Super Eight stage. They'll play Windies on February 23 at Wankhede, cross swords against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on February 26, and take on the Proteas at Arun Jaitley on March 1.
