Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza conveyed the profound anguish of missing out on the T20 World Cup, expressing that the pain would linger with them indefinitely.

Following losses to Namibia and Uganda in the African qualifiers, Zimbabwe failed to secure a spot in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States.

Raza articulated the lasting impact of this setback, stating, "I think that's something that will always be painful. Not just when we play, I think even when we retire and sit down with people that we play cricket with and the people in the management as well because it hurts them equally as well."

He emphasized the enduring nature of this disappointment, acknowledging, "I think it will always be painful that we're not going to the World Cup. So, it's not just pain that we're feeling now, I think it's something that we're going to have to carry for a long time."

Looking ahead to their series against Bangladesh, Raza hoped Zimbabwe could replicate their success at home in 2022, where they secured their first-ever T20I series win against Bangladesh. Despite their past struggles in Bangladesh, Raza remained optimistic about their chances in the upcoming matches.

He anticipated a fiercely contested series, highlighting the significance for both teams. Raza acknowledged Bangladesh's strengths but emphasized Zimbabwe's determination to compete at their best.

Reflecting on the history of exciting matches between the two sides, Raza expressed his desire for an entertaining series, emphasizing the importance of providing fans with captivating cricket.

Despite Bangladesh's recent series loss to Sri Lanka, Raza emphasized the competitiveness of both teams, underscoring their closely matched performances in recent outings.