Sikandar Raza became the leading Player of the Match winner among Full Member nations in T20 internationals as Zimbabwe national cricket team defeated Sri Lanka national cricket team by six wickets on 19 February 2026 in Colombo.
Chasing 179 at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Zimbabwe reached their target with four balls to spare, sealing top spot in Group B of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and progressing to the Super Eight unbeaten.
Promoted to number four, Raza struck a decisive 45 from 26 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 173.08. His calculated aggression shifted the momentum of the chase after a steady start, ensuring Zimbabwe remained ahead of the required rate in the closing overs.
Although he went wicketless, Raza conceded just 36 runs from his four overs, contributing to a disciplined bowling effort that restricted Sri Lanka to 178 for 7.
The all-round display earned him his 20th Player of the Match award in T20 internationals — the most by any cricketer representing a Full Member nation. He moved clear of India’s Suryakumar Yadav, while Virat Kohli sits third on the list. Only Malaysia’s Virandeep Singh, with 22 awards, has more overall.
Raza also became the oldest captain to claim a Player of the Match award in an ICC event, surpassing the previous benchmark set by Rohit Sharma at the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
The victory means Zimbabwe advance as one of four unbeaten sides in the tournament so far. Wins over Australia and Oman had already underlined their credentials, while their fixture against Ireland was washed out without a ball bowled.
