SIKANDAR RAZA DEPARTS WORCESTERSHIRE FOR ZIMBABWE COMMITMENTS

Sikandar Raza has ended his T20 Blast stint with Worcestershire to rejoin Zimbabwe's white-ball squad. The 40-year-old all-rounder played nine matches for the county, accumulating 258 runs at a strike rate of 144 whilst taking nine wickets at an average of 6.5 runs per over, with a best performance of 4-17. He finished his engagement with Worcestershire by scoring 43 runs from 31 balls and taking 2-8 from three overs in Friday's 83-run victory over Kent.

Raza stated he prioritises his international commitments to Zimbabwe, noting that he made a promise to the national team not to miss white-ball fixtures. Zimbabwe will play three T20 internationals against Bangladesh this month, followed by three further matches against India. Speaking to BBC Hereford and Worcester, Raza described his time with Worcestershire as a positive experience, saying he had "loved" being part of the county and felt welcomed as family by the organisation and supporters.

Worcestershire continued their campaign following Raza's departure, defeating Glamorgan by 15 runs in Cardiff on Sunday to maintain their quarter-final prospects. The county currently sit third in their group on 24 points, level with Gloucestershire, with two matches remaining. The top two teams from each of the three groups, plus the two best third-placed sides, advance to the quarter-finals scheduled for next week.