Imad Wasim unimpressed by Sikandar Raza's last-minute return for PSL Final: 'Money can do things for you'

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27-05-2025

Sikandar Raza made headlines globally for representing Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League final, arriving at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium just 10 minutes before toss, less than 24 hours after the one-off Test between England and Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, Nottingham concluded. read more
Imad Wasim described Sikandar Raza as a 'wonderful human being and a proper team player', even if he wasn't entirely impressed with his feat of playing a Test and the PSL final in less than 24 hours. Image: AP/Reuters
Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza made headlines globally for his extraordinary feat of playing a Test against England as well as the Pakistan Super League final on back-to-back days, with the two games happening more than 5,000 kilometres away from one another.
Raza has received widespread praise from experts and fans alike for his passion for the game, representing his nation in the highest form of the game without sacrificing on commitment to Lahore Qalandars in the PSL.
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Imad Wasim feels financial incentive led to Sikandar Raza's return
Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim, however, isn't one to think along those lines and believes it's the love for money that inspired Raza to return to Lahore in time for the PSL final, in which the Qalandars took on Quetta Gladiators and won.
'Like Shoaib Akhtar said — money can do things for you,' Wasim was quoted by Geo Super as saying.
'If you're getting paid, you'll go. I travel a lot too. Sometimes, one match ends, and the next day you're playing another. I've traveled 24 hours straight and gone directly into a match. So yes, money can make different things happen,' he added.
Despite offering a take on Raza's return that is starkly different from the popular sentiment, Wasim heaped praise on Raza for being a 'wonderful human being and a proper team player'.
'Sikandar Raza is a great player — he's been performing consistently around the world for the last couple of years. He even won the ILT20 final for his team.
'He's a wonderful human being and a proper team player. I've played both with and against him, and the way he has performed recently, you can definitely call him a match-winner,' Wasim added.
Raza had left the Qalandars camp to play Zimbabwe's one-off Test against England at Trent Bridge, which ended inside three days with the Ben Stokes-led hosts collecting an innings and 45-run victory. The spinner dismissed opener Zak Crawley (124), who was one of three Englishmen to score a century in that Test, and later scored an attacking 60 off 68 balls.
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By the time the one-off Test concluded, there was less than 24 hours left for the Qalandars-Gladiators final to get underway. Raza went straight to the airport after the match got over and boarded a flight to Pakistan.
The Qalandars, meanwhile, had two team sheets ready as they were unsure if Raza would reach the venue on time for the match. One had the Pakistani-born Zimbabwean, while the other had veteran Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al-Hasan.
In the end, Raza arrived at the Gaddafi Stadium just 10 minutes before the toss. And in the end, he would steer Lahore Qalandars to their third PSL title with an unbeaten 22 off 7 balls, which helped the Shaheen Afridi-led side chase down the 202-run target set by the Gladiators with a delivery to spare.