Thursday 29 / May / 2025
LAHORE: Less than a day after walking off a cricket field in England, Sikandar Raza was making headlines in the Pakistani city of Lahore — not for his arrival, but for finishing the job with a flourish.
On Saturday, Raza had trudged off after a gritty innings at Trent Bridge as Zimbabwe fell to an innings defeat against England. But while most of his teammates slowed down, Raza's clock started ticking faster. His PSL side, Lahore Qalandars, were in the final — and they wanted him back. So began one of the most whirlwind journeys in franchise cricket.
“Dinner in Birmingham, breakfast in Dubai, lunch on the road to Abu Dhabi, and dinner in Pakistan,” Raza said, recalling his mad dash across three countries and time zones.
“I bowled 25 overs the day before, batted 20 the next, and still had to show up for my brothers. How could I not?”
There was no business class. No rest. Just urgency and loyalty. Raza caught the earliest available flight out of Birmingham to Dubai, transferred to Abu Dhabi, and then flew to Lahore — barely reaching the stadium in time. Ten minutes before the toss, Shaheen Afridi confirmed: Sikandar Raza was in the XI.
What followed was the stuff of folklore.
Raza was tossed the ball early — and struck immediately, dismissing Rilee Rossouw. But it was with the bat that his legend was sealed. Lahore looked dead and buried — needing 57 off 20 with Amir in rhythm and Rajapaksa just dismissed. Then came Raza.
The first ball was pulled for four. The next, launched for six. Momentum shifted. But it all came down to the final over: eight needed off three, Raza on strike.
Faheem Ashraf’s wide yorker was almost perfect — almost. Raza bent, reached, and sliced it over cover point for six. The Gaddafi crowd roared. The next ball — mistimed, but destined — was whipped to the midwicket fence. Lahore had pulled it off. Raza had pulled it off.
“I tried to take the emotions out,” he said. “I was so mentally and physically drained. All I told myself was, ‘Just watch the ball. Don’t think. Hit it clean.’”
And clean he did.
“This is what it’s all about,” Raza said, eyes glinting under the stadium lights. “We’ve played three knockout games, won finals off the last ball before. But this — this one — it’s special. Because of the story, the chaos, the belief. I’ve got no words.”
He didn’t need any. From Nottingham to Lahore, Sikandar Raza had already written the perfect one.
(With inputs from ESPNcricinfo.com)
