Sikandar Raza lauds 'habibi' Shoaib Malik

Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza has called former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik a "brother, friend and teacher" as the two represent Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2023.

Malik and Raza played for the Riders in their opening game on Friday at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.

Malik scored 33 runs off 26 balls, while the Zimbabwe cricketer claimed two wickets and gathered 12 runs, helping their side beat defending champions Comilla Victorians by 34 runs.

Meanwhile, taking to Twitter, Raza showed his delight as the veteran all-rounder joined the Riders.

"Habibi [my love] is here. A brother, a friend, a teacher," he wrote. 

Malik, who is not part of the national side, was signed by the Riders for the BPL 2023.

During the T20 World Cup in 2022, the all-rounder put up a fantastic performance with both ball and bat. With 219 runs at a strike rate of 147.97, Raza finished the tournament as Zimbabwe's leading run scorer.

Additionally, he claimed 10 wickets while bowling at an impressive economy rate of 6.50. He batted brilliantly to advance Zimbabwe to the Super 12 stage, and his three-wicket onslaught helped pave the way for the unexpected victory over Pakistan.

After his sensational performances for Zimbabwe, he was roped in by Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars for the eighth edition of the tournament.

Following which, Indian Premier League (IPL) side Punjab Kings signed him for the IPL 2023.

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