Zimbabwe captain Raza connects with Afghan and Bangladeshi fans through language
SHARJAH – Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza makes a point of learning the languages of countries Zimbabwe visit regularly, saying it helps him connect with local people and respect their cultures.
During Zimbabwe’s tour of the United Arab Emirates, Raza has been speaking Pashto with Afghan players and fans. He also speaks Bengali when interacting with people from Bangladesh, with clips of him using both languages circulating widely online.
Speaking before today’s first T20I against Afghanistan in Sharjah, Raza explained how playing and travelling with Zimbabwe had encouraged him to learn the languages.
“Zimbabwe has played quite a lot of times against Bangladesh and I have travelled to Bangladesh as well. We played against Afghanistan, I have travelled to Afghanistan as well,” he said.
“I think first of all, I always want to educate myself, and second, it helps me to connect with the locals slightly better, plus it shows a sign of respect for their culture and their language.”
“So I enjoy learning languages. So when I speak to Afghan brothers I try and speak in Pashto, and when I speak to Bangladesh brothers I try and speak in Bengali.”
Earlier in the tour, Raza praised the Afghanistan Cricket Board for hosting Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, saying cricket “bridges that gap between people, the cultures, the religions, the ethnicity”.
He also spoke about the growing support for cricket back home, pointing to the atmosphere at Harare Sports Club as evidence of the game’s appeal.
“Sometimes pictures tell a great story and I think if you see the vibe at the Sports Club when Zimbabwe is playing, then I think that picture will do better justice than my words,” Raza said.
“The passion and the love for cricket is growing and it’s very nice to see, but I don’t think I can describe in words you have to see to believe it.”
Zimbabwe face Afghanistan in three T20Is in Sharjah, beginning today, with further matches on Thursday and Sunday. The teams will then play two Tests before meeting again in Group A of the 2027 World Cup in Bulawayo.
