‘Equal chance to win’: Sikandar Raza previews Zimbabwe vs India T20 series
Harare: Zimbabwe T20 captain Sikandar Raza has rejected assertions that India enter the upcoming three-match series as overwhelming favourites, maintaining that the contest will be tightly contested with both sides possessing an equal prospect of victory.
The series is set to commence on Thursday, presenting Zimbabwe with a prime opportunity against an Indian squad eager to recover from a challenging white-ball campaign across Ireland and England.
India previously suffered a 0-2 T20I series loss to Ireland in Belfast, followed by a 0-4 defeat in a five-match T20I series against England under the newly appointed captain Shreyas Iyer. The touring side additionally dropped the ODI series 1-2 under the leadership of Shubman Gill.
"Both countries will have an equal chance in this series. But one thing I am very sure about is that because Zimbabwe has been playing very consistent and very entertaining cricket, I can say this for sure that this series will be very entertaining," Raza told Star Sports.
Zimbabwe delivered one of the standout results of the ICC T20 World Cup in Colombo in February, stunning Australia with a 23-run victory that contributed significantly to the former champions' surprise group-stage exit. The Chevrons have also recorded notable victories over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh over the course of the year.
"As far as winning or losing is concerned, both countries have an equal chance to win the series," remarked Raza, the seasoned all-rounder with 136 T20I appearances to his name.
He further noted that Indian cricket is currently navigating a transitional phase, an element he believes will add intrigue to the upcoming fixtures.
"Yes, India is going through a transition and to some extent you'll see Zimbabwe is also gonna have a little bit of transition happening as well. I don't see it as a one-sided series," he stated.
The second and third matches of the T20I series will be contested at the same venue on July 25 and 26.
PTI