Zimbabwe have surprised many by thumping Australia, and now booking a place in the Super Eight stage. But they're not done impressing the world yet, feels captain Sikandar Raza.
"When Zimbabwe set out our goal wasn't just to qualify," said Raza, after Tuesday's washout against Ireland ensured Zimbabwe's qualification. "We've got other goals to achieve and we remain focused for that. Yes, the Super Eights is a tick in the box, but it's certainly not the whole box."
Although they didn't make it to the last T20 World Cup at all, owing to a loss to Uganda in the Africa qualifier, Zimbabwe will now make a deep run in this tournament. They have at least four further matches left, with the final (dead rubber) group game against Sri Lanka first up, before Super Eight fixtures against West Indies, India, and South Africa.
"One of the goals we set out to achieve was certainly that we're going to bring more recognition and respect to our country," Raza said after Tuesday's washout ensured Zimbabwe's progress. "Whatever has happened in the past has happened, but this group of boys and the way we have been together for a long time and the way we have gone about our business with utmost honesty and integrity towards the game itself and to each other in the changing room - that was one of the things we set out for.
"To see now you guys (media) and everybody else putting Zimbabwe in a very respectable place and taking notice of our country is certainly very humbling and pleasing. It's one of the boxes we wanted to tick as well and hopefully, we can keep writing our own history and the next time when people talk about Zimbabwe when it comes to cricket, they show a bit more respect. That will be nice."
This Zimbabwe team has also been trailed by a committed handful of fans, who on Tuesday hung up a large Zimbabwe flag in one corner of the grandstand at a damp Pallekele. Raza made sure to thank them for showing trust in his team.
"This is probably the first time in a long time where the fans have travelled to support us, and I think that is because of the way we have played cricket over the last year. We have given them that hope that, yes, this team is onto something and we can achieve something if we all are together.
"And that's just not the cricketers, or us in the changing room, or the technical staff. It is our fans. It is our media. It is the citizens of our country. It is everybody who's connected to cricket, whether it's in Zimbabwe or overseas. And if we have all of us together, I think we will achieve something."