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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
LOCAL cricket fans who were excited about watching star player Sikandar Raza in action against Ireland in three-match Twenty20 International series will be disappointed as the all-rounder will not feature against the Irish after he was granted permission by Zimbabwe Cricket to play franchise cricket in Bangladesh.

Raza had an unbelievable end to 2022, which saw him notch up award after award including the International Cricket Council Men’s Player of the Month for August, becoming the first Zimbabwean to win the prestigious accolade. The accolade came after the talented all-rounder scored three centuries against Bangladesh and India.

At the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup held in Australia, Raza was Zimbabwe’s top performer as the Chevrons reached the Super 12 stage of the tournament for the first time ever.

It came as no surprise when Raza was recently shortlisted for three major ICC awards, the sought-after Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy which celebrates the overall best performing men’s cricketer, Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year and the Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year.

There is no doubt that local fans were looking forward to seeing Raza in action against the Irish when the action gets underway exactly seven days from today.

Raza will however, at the same time when Zimbabwe face off against Ireland in the three T20Is be representing Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League, which gets underway tomorrow.

“Star all-rounder Sikandar Raza, who is in the running for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year, ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year, and ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year awards, will not feature in the series against Ireland after Zimbabwe Cricket granted him the permission to play franchise cricket elsewhere,” read a statement from ZC.

The good news for the fans though is that Raza will be back in Zimbabwean colours for the three ODIs as he indicated on his Twitter account yesterday after the team announcement for the T20 matches.

Raza will be one of the four players who took part in last year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia who will miss out on the country’s first international assignment of the New Year. The other three are lanky fast bowler, Blessing Muzarabani (injury), Milton Shumba and wicket-keeper batsman Regis Chakabva.

The 36-year-old all-rounder is part of the Rangpur Riders team that will play their opening match of the campaign against defending champions Comilla Victorians.

With the Chevrons stalwart missing out, it will be the opportunity for the other players to star for the team with former England international and Zimbabwe-born Gary Ballance receiving a maiden call-up for his country of birth.

After signing a two-year contract with ZC, Ballance, who played 23 Tests and 16 One Day Internationals for England is in line to make his debut appearance for Zimbabwe after switching allegiance.

Ballance last played international cricket in 2017 for England and last year ended his 15-year flirtation with English county side Yorkshire after both parties agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent and an announcement by ZC that he will turn out for Zimbabwe followed.

Prior to moving to England, Ballance had starred for Zimbabwe at the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2006 while still a schoolboy at Peterhouse Boys School in Marondera.

The T20I matches are scheduled for January 12, 14 and 15 at Harare Sports Club and will start at 1000hrs.

The T20I matches will be followed by an ODI series to be played at the same venue. However, changes have been made to the second match of the 50-over series, which has been moved from Friday 20 January to Saturday 21 January. The move was meant to allow fans to go out on a weekend and enjoy the game.

“We are grateful to our colleagues at Cricket Ireland for agreeing to tweak the schedule a bit by moving the second ODI initially scheduled for a Friday to the next day in order to give our fans an opportunity to come out and enjoy the action when most of them are not at work,” said ZC director of cricket, Hamilton Masakadza.

The rest of the ODI schedule remains unchanged with the first match scheduled for Wednesday 18 January and the final one set for Monday 21 January. – @brandon_malvin.