Mumbai, February 23 His team was completely dominated by a powerful West Indies side, fueled by a stunning 85 off 34 balls by Shimron Hetmyer and a 59 off 35 balls by Rovman Powell, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza refused to blame the change in venue and conditions for his team's massive 107-run defeat in their first match in the Super 8 stage in Mumbai on Monday.
"I think if we focus on the change in venues and country, we won't learn anything, and it's very important for me to learn from this game. We don't want to make excuses. If we want to go through, we have to win in every country, every venue," said Raza after the match.
Hetmyer's explosive innings, in which he hit seven fours and seven sixes, scoring a 50 off 19 balls and a 122-run partnership with Powell for the third wicket, helped West Indies post 254/6 in 20 overs, the highest team total in this World Cup and the second-highest ever in the tournament's history.
Zimbabwe's chase of the challenging target did not go as planned, as they lost three wickets in the power-play and were eventually bowled out for 147 in 17.4 overs, mainly due to a 43 off 21 balls by Brad Evans (2x4, 5x6), and his 44-run partnership with Richard Ngarava for the last wicket. Gudakesh Motie took 4 wickets for 28, and Akeal Hosein took 3 wickets for 28, accelerating Zimbabwe's downfall.
Though they faced a difficult chase, Raza said they believed they had a chance, but the wicket turned more than in the first innings, which ultimately thwarted their hopes.
"We thought when we batted, the wicket would remain true, but it started to turn. But it was a good learning experience. At one point, myself and Tony were saying that even if RR reaches 18, we can still win. Motie's spell changed the game. But at this ground, you never know," said Raza in the post-match presentation.
While the defeat was a major setback for Zimbabwe, the tournament's giant-killers, who made it to the Super 8 stage with upsets against Australia and Sri Lanka, Raza and his team's biggest concern was the finger injury he sustained while trying to avoid a shot from Powell.
Raza will undergo a scan on his injured finger on Tuesday and hopes for a positive outcome. "The plan is to get a scan tomorrow, and hopefully everything will be fine," he said.
Zimbabwe will next play hosts and defending champions India in their next match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on February 26, and Raza is already looking forward to the game. India too lost their first match in the Super 8 stage, and the Chennai clash will be a must-win for both teams. "Certainly, even though there are bruises, we will try to win and earn respect. Both teams have lost, and we will try to be better," said Raza, an off-spinner who has become a mystery spinner in the second half of his career.
