Sikandar Raza
Sikandar Raza Credits: Twitter

Zimbabwe star Sikandar Raza, on Friday (February 9), starred with the bat, hitting a last ball six to power Dubai Capitals to a thrilling win over Desert Vipers in the ongoing ILT20.

Asked to bat first, the Vipers posted a competitive total of 171/7 in the allotted 20 overs. Phil Salt and Alex Hales have the Vipers a flying start by adding 66 runs in just 26 balls for the first wicket. However, the middle-order batters failed to capitalise on the solid start.

At the end of the powerplay, the Vipers were on 80 for 1 and were looking destined to post a 200-plus total. Even at the halfway mark, they were on 107/3. However, they could only score 64 runs in the last 10 overs while losing four wickets. The onus was on the likes of Daniel Lawrence, Colin Munro and Sam Curran to make the most of the platform laid by the openers but they failed to do so.

The Vipers, however, did not let the momentum affect them as they started brilliantly with the ball and had the Capitals reeling at 32 for 3. It was followed by a brilliant 79-run stand between Sam Billings and Sikandar Raza before the former departed for 57.

Unlike Billings, Sikandar Raza stayed till the end and ensured to take his team home although in a thrilling manner. The Capitals needed 13 runs from the final over and young pacer Ali Naseer did well to concede only 7 runs on the first five balls. However, with six runs needed off the final ball, the Zimbabwe allrounder hit him for a six to seal the game for his side.

Watch the last ball six from Sikandar Raza:

 

“I said to myself, I don’t think he will go short as I had hit one earlier out of the ground, I will hold my shape and try and hit it in the air and hit it as well as I can,” said Sikandar Raza after the game.

When asked about Naseer’s performance with the ball, he said: “He bowled fantastically well, these are the learnings we all have learnt all through our careers. For a 19-year-old to bowl the final over, fantastic and he nearly won it for them.”