After Zimbabwe’s third win at the tournament, when they stunned Pakistan by one run, Raza revealed that when he struggled to sleep in the early hours of the day of the Pakistan match, it was Ponting’s clip, which referred to greats of the game like Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne when discussing Raza’s form, that calmed him.
“I know there was a small clip that was sent to me this morning and it was Ricky Ponting having a small word,” Raza told the broadcasters immediately after Zimbabwe’s one-run win. “I was excited. I was nervous. I was thrilled about today. Motivation was always there, but if I needed that little push, I thought that clip did a wonder this morning. So thank you very much to Ricky as well.”
In a glowing assessment of Raza’s year, in which he has won more Player-of-the-Match awards than anyone else in 2022 – 7 – Ponting praised the way Raza has embraced a senior role in the Zimbabwean side and how he has been willing to face challenges head on.
“In the T20 game, because it’s such a moment-based game where it comes down to the result of one particular ball, the older, more experienced guys have a better way of thinking their way through situations, knowing exactly what’s required here and now and then going and doing it,” Ponting said in a clip released by the ICC. “I said about Sikandar Raza at the at the start – the maturity side, he just seems to know exactly what to do, when to do it and he has been good enough to get it done,” Ponting said.
“All the best players in the game that I’ve known, and crossing other sports as well, is when those big pressure moments come, that’s what they want. You know Shane Warne was a great example of that, Glenn McGrath was a great example of that. Those players, they want that big moment, they want that stage and when they get there, they’re not going to let it slip. They are gonna make the most of it and make sure they get the job done. And that’s what’s Sikander has done so beautifully.”
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent
Source: ESPN Crickinfo