Sikandar Raza backs PSL expansion, says new teams will widen talent pool

KARACHI: Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza has welcomed the addition of new teams to the Pakistan Super League, saying the move will help broaden the pool of players and strengthen the competition over time.

In an interview, Raza said the inclusion of more sides was a positive step, adding that even if the league grows to eight teams, identifying new stars would still take time. He said progress in that area would not come immediately.

Raza credited the league’s development to the five original franchise owners, saying their commitment over the past decade helped bring the PSL to its current stage. He said their role had earlier paved the way for the addition of Multan Sultans, and that Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz had now also joined.

Lahore Qalandars and team environment

Speaking about Lahore Qalandars’ performances, Raza said outside issues should not affect a player once he steps onto the field. He said if off-the-field matters are influencing a player’s game, then that player should not be playing at all.

He said Lahore had lost some matches because of poor performances from the batting unit and added that he accepted a major share of the responsibility. He said he should have spent more time at the crease, while also noting that the bowlers had done well. Referring to a match in Karachi, he said he likely failed to read the pitch properly, but had learned from the experience and would try to do better in the coming games.

Raza said players from Lahore Qalandars and other teams spend quality time together, and added that younger players show considerable respect. He said the atmosphere is such that overseas players do not feel like outsiders. He also noted that Usama Mir had recently said only two foreign cricketers had arrived.

On Fakhar Zaman, Raza said he jokes with him the most but also respects him deeply. He said Fakhar is like the elder of the family and that the team bus often turns into a school, with Fakhar acting as the principal and speaking on different aspects of life. He also said he shares a strong friendship with Abdullah Shafique, with whom he has trained, and added that he treats Abdullah’s failures as his own and tries to help wherever possible. Raza said he also keeps track of Lahore Qalandars players in Pakistan’s domestic competitions.

Views on captaincy and franchise loyalty

Raza said he is wary of captaincy despite the importance attached to the role in Asia. He said he fears losing his temper or taking something personally in a way that could harm a young player’s career. He added that he accepted the captaincy because Zimbabwe needed him, and said he wants to prepare a future captain so he can eventually step aside.

Describing Lahore Qalandars as family, Raza said owners Sameen Rana and Atif Rana had built a family-like environment in which every player receives respect and affection. He said the owners endured major losses in the first six to seven years, but learned from that period and identified players who could help create that atmosphere.

He also spoke about his retention category, saying the PSL auction system had led some people to question his salary. Raza said some believed he could have earned more had he entered the auction. He said he had asked Sameen Rana to keep him in the $40,000 Gold category, but later learned he had been retained for $100,000. He said he wanted to remain in a lower category so the team could take more money into the auction and bring its ‘family’ back together, adding that this mattered more to him than money.

Raza said values related to family appear to be fading in Pakistan, and stressed how important that bond is. He said whether the side won or lost, it did so with the same group of players. He added that the franchise knew Fakhar Zaman and Haris Rauf were being targeted by other teams, while Ubaid Shah and Usama Mir were also part of the plans and could have triggered bidding contests. For that reason, he said, he was content even with the lowest salary. He added that he never asked Sameen Rana for any under-the-table payments.

Shaheen, PSL crowds and toughest bowlers

Raza said Shaheen Afridi may appear aggressive on the field, but is in fact humble and down to earth, and willing to do anything for the team. He said the team environment improved further when Sameen Rana and Shaheen formed a combination. According to Raza, Shaheen leads from the front in difficult situations, whether that means bowling the third over in the powerplay or stepping up when wickets are not falling. He added that Shaheen has also become more technically astute as a captain, saying he once relied more on instinct but now has more dimensions because of experience.

Raza also said he wants spectators to return to PSL matches. He said friends and relatives used to ask him for tickets, and that he would gladly deal with that again if it meant crowds were back in the stands.

Asked about the toughest bowlers in the current PSL, Raza said young Pakistani spinner Sufiyan Muqeem had been the most difficult so far. He also praised Usama Mir as an outstanding bowler and said Ubaid Shah was performing very well.

Zimbabwe, World Cup reflections and recovery after Covid

Looking back at Zimbabwe’s T20 World Cup campaign, Raza said the team made history by reaching the Super 8 stage. He said the tournament was personally satisfying for him as a player, but admitted that as captain he made mistakes that hurt the side. He said that after reaching the Super 8, the hype around the achievement made the team feel it had already reached its limit. He added that Zimbabwe could have won matches at that stage as well, but did not because of mistakes by him and the team.

Referring to the match against South Africa, Raza said he was set and believed Zimbabwe could have posted 175-180 and won had he batted through the innings. He said that would have felt like a real achievement as captain.

Raza said life in Zimbabwe is peaceful and added that there are 80-90 Pakistani families there. He said they have good food at home and at weekend gatherings, so Pakistani cuisine is not missed. He also said people show great respect, and that conditions have improved further after the World Cup. He added that he had sent two young cricketers to Pakistan through Lahore Qalandars to help improve their game, and said there is also an agreement between Zimbabwe and Qalandars that will encourage more youngsters to take up the sport.

On his personal journey, Raza said that after Covid he did not believe he would play cricket again. He described the period of surgeries as very difficult and said he stopped thinking about the future and accepted whatever would happen. He added that this brought him peace, saying that even if he were told tomorrow would be his last match, he would have no problem with it.