Colombo, Feb 13 (NationPress) Zimbabwe's captain Sikandar Raza showcased immense pride in his team's comprehensive performance following their remarkable 23-run triumph over Australia in their second match during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 held at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday.

Zimbabwe set a target of 169 runs while batting first and subsequently dismissed Australia for a mere 146 runs in 19.3 overs, aided by a stunning four-wicket haul from Blessing Muzarabani.

Raza described the victory as a particularly special moment, highlighting the way his team performed under pressure.

"Certainly, I am very happy, but more importantly, I feel immense pride, akin to a brother watching his younger sibling achieve great things together. It was wonderful to observe our team’s approach, the culture, the environment, and the unity we have cultivated over time. Witnessing this from the outside, I felt incredibly proud, especially with such an unbelievable win," he said during the post-match presentation.

Despite battling cramps in the second innings, Raza provided an optimistic update regarding his health.

"I’ve encountered this before in Sri Lanka. It’s not the first time, but the pressure of leading the team and the workload can lead to these situations. However, I assure you, they are just cramps. With proper recovery, I should be fine in a day or two," he added.

Raza also shared the clear strategy communicated to the batters when Zimbabwe was at 70 without loss, aiming to set a competitive score.

"At 70 runs, we were content. Someone suggested aiming for 190, but I countered, saying that if we target that now, we could end up with 140 all-out. We decided to maintain a steady approach, scoring at 8s and 9s. Over time, we’ve learned from past tours in Sri Lanka that the pitch tends to slow down, and going too hard too early can lead to a collapse," he explained.

He addressed concerns regarding squad depth following injury scares that had previously sidelined Branden Taylor from the tournament.

"Absolutely. We have only 13 fit players in the squad, and then I went down. Cremer sustained a minor split webbing, but it’s not serious. We even called on Dion Ebrahim to be ready just in case. However, I believe Zimbabwe Cricket is looking into replacements. Ideally, in these conditions, you want 15 fit players available at all times," he stated.

Raza emphasized the importance of remaining grounded despite the significant victory and focusing on one match at a time.

"It’s a fantastic position to be in, but we must take it one game at a time, just as we agreed at the start. The next game is now our priority," he concluded.

Zimbabwe’s next challenge will be against Ireland in the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 on February 17 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.