“Super 8s qualification was just a box to tick”- Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza after win over Australia in T20 World Cup 2026

Following Zimbabwe's historic Super 8 qualification at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, skipper Sikandar Raza has cautioned his teammates that the victory over Australia will be meaningless if greater objectives aren't met.

Zimbabwe's advancement to the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 stage is one of the most intriguing tales in a competition already full of unexpected turns.

However, Raza has made it quite clear that if Zimbabwe is unable to build on this momentum and realize their bigger goals, the historic victory over Australia will be for nothing.

After Zimbabwe's rain-affected group match against Ireland ensured their advancement, eliminating both Australia and Ireland, Raza spoke from Pallekele in a tone that was both joyous and sobering. Although making it to the Super 8s is historic for him, it is still a long way from his ultimate goal.

Unquestionably, Zimbabwe's first-ever trip to the Super 8s in T20 World Cup history is noteworthy. Following their victory over Australia and the rain-affected cancellation of their match against Ireland, Zimbabwe advanced to the next round of the T20 World Cup.

“The fact that we’ve qualified for the Super 8s hasn’t changed the ultimate goal that we set out for. It’s just a tick in the box, but we have a lot of other goals to achieve. Yes, the Super Eights is a tick in the box, but it’s certainly not the whole box,” Raza told reporters as per PTI.

Raza's attention is still squarely on the future. Instead of Zimbabwe being known as a giant-killer, he wants them to be acknowledged as legitimate contenders.

Restoring pride and gaining respect for their nation on the international cricket scene is one of the team's main goals, according to Raza.

“One of the goals we set out to achieve was certainly that we’re going to bring more recognition and respect to our country. Everybody loves an underdog story, don’t they?” he stated.

Zimbabwe's Super 8 campaign will face tough opponents, including the West Indies and South Africa, as well as the reigning champions, India, in Chennai on February 26.

“If we can find a day or two to train, we’ll sum up the conditions really well and make our plans. One thing you can’t fight is the weather and conditions, so we try to learn them quickly,” he said.

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