Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
The Chevrons will play more international cricket across all three formats of the game at home according to the Future Tour Programme (FTP) that was announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last Wednesday.
The new cycle will run from 2023 to 2027 and will see the 12 full members of ICC play a total of 777 international matches with the Chevrons playing 109. The Chevrons will play 20 Tests, 44 One Day Internationals and 45 T20s between the period 2023-2027.
After the tour to Australia, which starts on August 28, the Chevrons will finish off the year by hosting Afghanistan for a full series, which has one Test, three ODIs and two T20 matches.
The Test against Afghanistan will be the first red ball game to be played this year.
The team will then kick off the new year with a white ball home series against Ireland for three ODI games and as many T20s.
The West Indies will also tour Zimbabwe for two Tests in February and then Netherlands in March for three ODIs.
Another home series will be played against Ireland at the end of the year and will consist of one Test, three ODIs and three T20s. This will be followed by an away series in Sri Lanka in January 2024 for three ODIs and T20s.
In April, the Chevrons will make the trip to Asia for two Tests and five ODIs against Bangladesh. This series will be followed by another away series against Ireland for one Test, three ODIs and three T20s.
Three home series will follow from November 24, 2024 against Pakistan followed by Afghanistan and then Ireland.
Pakistan will be in the country for three ODIs and as many T20s, Afghanistan will tour for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20s and the same for Ireland. After the Champions Trophy in February 2025, the Chevrons will tour Bangladesh again for three ODIs and as many T20s.
The T20 tri-series will return to Zimbabwe as the men in red will host neighbours South Africa and New Zealand. This will be after they play the Proteas in two home Tests and the New Zealanders will remain after the tri-series for two Tests and three ODIs. This will be between June and July 2025.
In August 2025, the Chevrons will host Sri Lanka for a white ball series of three ODIs and T20s, followed by another home series against Afghanistan in October for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20s.
After the 2026 T20 World Cup, the Chevrons will travel to Pakistan for a white ball series of three ODIs, and three T20s before hosting Bangladesh again for two Tests and five ODIs in July.
A quiet three months for Zimbabwe will be followed by an away tour to Afghanistan for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20s in December 2026.
ICC general manager of cricket, Wasim Khan thanked the members for the effort they put in creating the FTP cycle that will allow cricket to flourish.
“I’d like to thank our members for the effort that has gone into creating this FTP for the next four years.
We are incredibly lucky to have three vibrant formats of the game, with an outstanding programme of ICC global events and strong bilateral and domestic cricket and this FTP is designed to allow all cricket to flourish,” said Khan in a statement.
The FTP cycle will be rounded off by the Cricket World Cup that Zimbabwe will co-host with South Africa and Namibia in 2027.
Online Reporter