“Would I be tempted?” Sikandar Raza breaks silence on exit to spin if Zimbabwe enter WTC

Zimbabwe ODI and T20I captain Sikandar Raza has made it clear that his country’s eventual entry into the World Test Championship (WTC) for the 2027-30 cycle will not change his plan to retire after next year’s 50-year World Cup in Africa.Zimbabwe will host the ODI World Cup in 2027 along with South Africa and Namibia. For the 40-year-old all-rounder, the tournament will offer the opportunity to play at the end of his career at the World Cup on home soil.“The fact that I am also nearing the end of my career and that I have the opportunity to play the World Cup at home is definitely a blessing for me personally,” Raza said, according to PTI.“Every cricketer dreams of retiring or retiring after playing the Cricket World Cup,” he added.Asked if Zimbabwe’s potential entry into the WTC during the 2027-30 cycle could prompt him to reconsider his retirement, Raza ruled out the possibility.“Would I be tempted? No, I won’t be. I’ve come to terms with the choices I make in life.”“I’m not going to be a guy who, when the time comes, calls it off and then says, ‘I’m taking my pension back.’ That won’t happen. That’s not me,” he said.While Raza does not intend to extend his career, he believes playing at the WTC would help Zimbabwe improve as a cricketing nation. He said it may take time for the team to do well in the competition initially, but the experience will help improve its results across formats.“If it happens, I will be the first person to support it. If Zimbabwe is part of the WTC, we may not do well in the beginning, but one thing I know…our cricket growth will eventually – no eventually, quickly – go up. Our performances will improve, and not just in Test cricket,” he said.

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Share an opinionNo home advantageRaza acknowledged that Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia may struggle to gain home advantage in the 2027 World Cup as the International Cricket Council (ICC) oversees the organization of the tournament.“We will do our best to get some home advantage but it is very difficult in ICC events because ICC controls everything.“But yes, we will try to take some advantage where possible. A good advantage, that is,” he said.Zimbabwe’s match against India on 24 October 2027 will also be the first World Cup match at the newly built Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls.