Zimbabwe National Cricket Team captain Sikandar Raza was hurt after his team suffered a 19-run defeat against Afghanistan in the second T20I match in Sharjah on Thursday (October 29). With this crushing defeat, Zimbabwe lost the T20I series to Afghanistan, with the final match scheduled for November 1 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah.

Despite smashing a brilliant unbeaten century, Raza could not take Zimbabwe over the finishing line as Afghanistan pulled off an impressive victory in the second T20I to clinch the series with a 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Amid this, PSL 2027 auction rules: 7 retentions allowed, highest-paid player must be released.

Sikandar Raza blasts Zimbabwe teammates for complacency after Afghanistan's stunning comeback

Sikandar Raza was more disappointed with his Zimbabwe team than the result itself. The captain has openly criticized the team's lack of seriousness after Afghanistan were reduced to just 5 runs for 4 wickets in the fourth over. Raza felt some players became too relaxed and started thinking about Afghanistan’s final score instead of focusing on finishing the job.

The experienced all-rounder angrily made it clear that he would discuss the issue with his teammates inside the dressing room. He felt such an attitude could cost the team dearly and pointed out that a match is never over until the final ball is bowled in Sharjah.

Sikandar Raza said at the post-match presentation, as quoted by Cricinfo, "I will address the complacency in the changing room. "I won't be saying it the way I said it to you. For me, before I go too much in detail [about the match]—and I will address that in the changing room—the toughest part to swallow was the complacency that I saw from some of the boys.”

Sikandar Raza's blazing 106 goes in vain as Zimbabwe captain exposes teammates' big mistake

Zimbabwe was in a commanding position even at the halfway stage, with Afghanistan struggling at 45/5. However, Azmatullah Omarzai completely changed the game with a stunning 116 off just 50 balls. Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai also played a brilliant knock of 52 from 27 deliveries as Afghanistan posted a massive total of 221/7 on the board in their 20 overs.

Chasing 222, Raza tried his best to keep Zimbabwe alive in the game. The skipper smashed an unbeaten 106 off just 56 balls, but he did not get enough support from the other batters. Zimbabwe continued to fight, but they eventually fell 19-run short of the target.

Raza admitted that controlling his emotions was his biggest challenge during the run chase because he was still hurt by the team's attitude in the first innings, as some of his teammates were calculating the total max to max 130-140 when Afghanistan was at 5/4. Amid this, Watch: Mitchell Starc's deadly bouncer hits Marques Ackerman on head in SA vs AUS 3rd Test.

He said, “Some of the things that I saw on the ground today certainly hurt me, and I'll address that in the changing room because, listen, it can happen, but I think that's where you have to be mentally very strong and say, 'No, the game is never over until it's over—we still have a job in hand, and I'm going (2:32) to be the guy who's going to get the job done.'”

Sikandar Raza loses cool after Zimbabwe's defeat, blames teammates for costly mistake

The captain further noted that this is something that needs to be addressed, as taking the game for granted can bite back, and “today is a great example." He wanted to take the game as deep as possible and hoped the other batters would contribute to the chase.

Raza signed off by saying, “When you're chasing 222, for me the biggest thing was to try and stay in control of my emotions because the way we conducted ourselves in the first innings hurt me," Raza said. So, when we go out to bat, for me it is trying to win the game from any position.

That has been our motto, and, in my head, I was just calculating how best I could go about my business and hopefully the other batters chip in so that we can win the game. Up until the last two overs [by when they needed 46 from 12], we were backing ourselves to win the game, but yeah, I think we left ourselves too much.”