Sikandar Raza fires massive warning to Shubman Gill and Team India after beating them in the 1st T20I

Zimbabwe captain Sikander Raza lauded his teammates after the victory over Team India in the T20I of the ongoing five-match series on home soil. Sikander Raza stated that the job is not done and they need to carry their winning momentum into the upcoming matches in the series against the World Champions.

Zimbabwe registered a 13-run victory over the Indian side led by Shubman Gill at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Saturday, July 6. India rested most senior players from their recent World Cup-winning team. Zimbabwe successfully defended a total of 115 runs to start the ongoing series on a winning note.

Need To Take One Game At A Time - Sikandar Raza

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Sikandar Raza expressed satisfaction with Zimbabwe's strong performance against the T20 World Cup champions. However, Raza stated that they need to be ready for the next game, emphasizing that they must prepare well to win the series.

"I feel really happy about the win. We need to take one game at a time. The job is not done, the series is not over. World champions play like world champions so we need to be ready for the next game. This isn't a wicket where you get bowled out for 115. Credit to the bowlers of both sides. Clearly an indication we need to up our skills," Raza said.

Zimbabwe managed to post 115/9 in their 20 overs after being asked to bat first. The home team's bowlers, Tendai Chatara (3/16) and Sikandar Raza (3/25), played a crucial role in restricting the India team to 102 in 19.5 overs. Raza was named "Player of the Match" for his impressive all-round performance.

Don't Care About Results - Sikandar Raza

The 38-year-old all-rounder stated that they should stick to their plans regardless of the result. Raza highlighted that both catching and ground fielding can be improved. He acknowledged the fans' support as a significant motivator, crediting them for contributing to Zimbabwe's success.

"I said I don't care about the result as long as we could be true to the crowd and changing room, we had our plans, we stuck to it and we backed our guys. Our catching and ground fielding was amazing but we did make some errors, which shows there's room for improvement. We knew the fans would lift us up and give us energy. Credit to them. It helped us," Raza added.

Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel made their T20I debuts for India in the first T20I match. Shubman Gill scored 31 runs to anchor the chase, but Raza dismissed him in the 11th over. India collapsed to 47/6, but Washington Sundar, who scored 27 runs off 34 balls, fought with the lower-order batters.

The second T20I of the five-match series between the two teams will take place on Sunday, July 7, at the same venue. After losing the opening match, the Indians will be eager to seize the chance to bounce back strongly in the upcoming game.

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