‘At least my Punjabi got polished’ - Sikandar Raza reveals his takeaway from IPL 2023

With the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 rapidly nearing its end, the Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings still find themselves well in contention to book a spot in the knockout stages of the tournament. With the side looking to go all out in their remaining matches of the competition, it could be interesting to see how the team would fare in the crucial games.

With many experienced players in the squad, Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza has been one such veteran who played his first season in the marquee tournament in 2023. Raza was roped in by Punjab in the IPL 2023 auctions for a base price of INR 50 lakh, and the 37-year-old recently came forward to opine that his maiden IPL stint has heavily polished his Punjabi speaking skills.

Born in Sialkot, Punjab, Raza migrated to Zimbabwe in 2002, as his parents lived there. Earning citizenship of the country, Raza has gone on to become one of the most important players for the national team, and originating from Punjab, he opined that the IPL season has helped him improve his linguistic skills. 

"I come from a Punjabi background, and I can speak Urdu. A lot of the conversations in Zimbabwe are in English and Shona, which is the local language. I don't think I have spoken so much Punjabi in my life as I have done in the last six weeks. At least my Punjabi got polished a little bit," Raza told ESPN Cricinfo.

It would be great if he ends up playing for India: Raza on Jitesh Sharma

Furthermore, the veteran all-rounder also heaped praise on the performances of Indian keeper Jitesh Sharma. Having played 12 games in the tournament so far, Jitesh has made quite a name for himself, amassing 265 runs. Raza came forward to opine that it would be great if the 29-year-old could go on to play for the Indian team.

"The guy that has impressed me the most is Jitesh Sharma. It would be great if he ends up playing for India. With India being so top-heavy, imagine having a wicketkeeper who can bat like him down the order. That's a real plus. I think he has been the player to look out for," Raza said.