Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
On Thursday, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) made an announcement that has been welcomed by many cricket enthusiasts in the country: the senior men’s national cricket team, the Chevrons, will face off against South Africa’s Proteas.
The two giants of African cricket are scheduled to compete in a two-match Test series as well as a T20I tri-series, which will also feature New Zealand.
The highly anticipated tours will begin with the Chevrons taking on the Proteas in what promises to be a gripping two-match Test series at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The first Test is scheduled for June 28-July 2, with the second following from July 6-10.
With the two Tests on the horizon, a tall order lies ahead for the Chevrons, who have never beaten the Proteas in red-ball cricket. To date, the two neighbouring countries have only faced each other nine times in the longest format of the game, with the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) finalists, South Africa, winning eight of those matches.
Of South Africa’s eight victories, four were at home, and the other four were in Zimbabwe. Only one match ended in a draw, and Zimbabwe will be aiming to break a 30-year jinx.
Zimbabwe and South Africa first played Test cricket against each other in 1995 in Harare, with the visitors registering a seven-wicket win in the only Test.
What adds to the excitement is the fact that 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.
However, the last time the Proteas played a Test match on Zimbabwean soil was back in 2014, where they won by nine wickets at Harare Sports Club.
The Proteas side then boasted players like AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, and Vernon Philander, among others.
The Chevrons had in their ranks Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, John Nyumbu, and Vusi Sibanda, among others.
It was in that game that Nyumbu picked up his maiden Test five-wicket haul.
Both sides today boast exciting talents, promising to deliver electrifying encounters.
Meanwhile, the Chevrons’ busy schedule will not only end with the tri-series, as New Zealand will remain for two Tests as well. These will also be played at Queens Sports Club, with the first Test scheduled for July 30-August 3, and the second taking place from August 7-11.
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.
Once again, the Chevrons have never beaten the Black Caps in Test cricket. They have met 17 times, with New Zealand winning 11, while six ended as draws.
Their first meeting in red-ball cricket was at Queens Sports Club back in 1992. The two sides have faced off seven times in Test cricket at Queens Sports Club, the most at any venue between them. This will be match number eight and nine in Bulawayo.
The T20I tri-series will begin on July 14, with Zimbabwe facing South Africa, and two days later, on July 16, South Africa will take on New Zealand. On July 18, Zimbabwe will meet New Zealand before playing South Africa again on July 20.
South Africa and New Zealand will face off once more on July 22, while Zimbabwe will close their group-stage campaign against New Zealand on July 24.
The tournament will conclude with the final on July 26, where the top two teams will battle for the title. All T20I matches will commence at 13:00 local time.
“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. 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,” said ZC Managing Director Givemore Makoni. – @brandon_malvin
