THE Zimbabwe national cricket team is scheduled to host South Africa and New Zealand between June and August for a marathon of mouth-watering red and white-ball cricket.
The series will be hosted in Bulawayo and Harare, with all of the Test matches to be played at Queens Sports Club, while Harare Sports Club will host what should be an explosive T20 tri-series.
The tri-series is sandwiched between two Test matches pitting the Chevrons against the Proteas, followed by the same number against the Black Caps.
Zimbabwe’s first Test against South Africa will be played between June 28 and July 2. The second Test will take place between July 6 and 10, also at Queens Sports Club.
The two teams will then travel to Harare for the T20 tri-series, where they will be joined by New Zealand.
Zimbabwe and South Africa kick off the series on July 14 before the two touring sides square off two days later.
The teams will play each other twice, giving each a minimum of four matches, with the top two after the round-robin stage progressing to the final on July 26.
Zimbabwe and New Zealand will then move to Bulawayo for two Tests, with the first beginning on July 30. The second Test will be played between August 7 and11.
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Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Givemore Makoni said that the series is a major platform for Zimbabwe’s players to showcase themselves against two of the best teams in the world.
“This is the biggest international home season we have had in years, and it is an incredible opportunity for our players to test themselves against two of the world’s cricketing powerhouses,” he said.
“Hosting South Africa and New Zealand for both Test cricket and an exciting T20I tri-series is a fantastic development for the growth of the game in Zimbabwe.
“We are looking forward to welcoming the teams and putting on a great spectacle for our passionate cricket fans.”
Zimbabwe last hosted a T20I tri-nation series in July 2018, featuring Australia and Pakistan, with Pakistan emerging victorious.
The last Test encounter between Zimbabwe and New Zealand dates back to July–August 2016, when New Zealand secured a 2-0 series win in Bulawayo.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe and South Africa have not met in Test cricket since their Boxing Day pink-ball Test in Gqeberha in 2017, a match South Africa won by an innings and 120 runs.
The last time South Africa played Test cricket in Zimbabwe was in August 2014, when they secured a nine-wicket victory in Harare.
The Test matches against South Africa will come after Zimbabwe’s historic tour of England for a one-off Test next month.
Schedule
Zim v SA First Test June 28 to July 2
Zim v SA Second Test July 6 to 10
T-20 Tri-series
Zim v SA July 14
SA v NZ July 16
Zim v NZ July 18
Zim v SA July 20
NZ v SA July 22
Zim v NZ July 24
Final July 26
Zim v NZ Tests
First Test July 30 to August 3
Second Test August 7 to 11.
All Tests to be played at Queens Sports, Bulawayo and all T-20 matches to be staged at Harare Sports Club. All Tests start at 10am, while all T-20 matches start at 1pm.
