Sikandar Raja Breaks Rohit-Suryakumar Record

In a stunning display at Colombo’s Premadasa Stadium, Zimbabwe produced a remarkable performance in the ICC T20 World Cup, defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets with just four balls to spare. The victory was highlighted by an extraordinary all-round performance from team captain Sikandar Raja, who was named Player of the Match.

Raja, leading from the front, excelled with both bat and ball. Chasing a target of 179 runs, he scored a brisk 45 runs off only 26 deliveries, including two fours and four sixes, at an impressive strike rate of 173.08. Earlier in the match, he bowled four overs for 36 runs. Although he did not take a wicket, his disciplined bowling applied crucial pressure on the Sri Lankan batsmen, restricting their scoring momentum.

This outstanding performance earned Raja his twentieth Player of the Match award in T20 Internationals, a milestone no full-member nation cricketer had previously reached. In doing so, he surpassed India’s Suryakumar Yadav and moved past Virat Kohli, who currently ranks third on this list. Only Birandeep Singh of Malaysia holds more Player of the Match awards, with a total of 22.

In addition to this record, Raja set another notable benchmark. He became the oldest captain to receive a Player of the Match award in ICC events and T20 World Cups, overtaking the previous record held by Rohit Sharma. Raja is now the second-oldest Player of the Match recipient in T20 World Cup history, following Sanath Jayasuriya, who achieved this feat in 2009. Other notable cricketers in the over-39 category include Shoaib Malik, Tillakaratne Dilshan, and David Wiese.

This match further cements Raja’s reputation as one of the most consistent and influential all-rounders in modern T20 cricket, combining explosive batting with disciplined bowling and astute leadership. His achievements not only set new benchmarks for Zimbabwean cricket but also elevate him to an elite tier of international cricketers globally.

Leading T20I Player of the Match Awards (Top Five)

Oldest T20 World Cup Player of the Match Recipients

Zimbabwe’s thrilling victory over Sri Lanka will be remembered not only for the result but also for Raja’s historic performance, rewriting the records books and inspiring cricket fans worldwide.