International cricket returns to Queens Sports Club

AFTER a long hiatus, with most matches concentrated in Harare, the thrill of live cricket returns to Bulawayo in November/December.

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announced Queens Sports Club as the venue for a thrilling white-ball series against Pakistan. It will be a double dose of action — three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 Internationals (T20Is) will unfold, quenching the thirst of cricket enthusiasts in the city.

This isn’t just about the on-field action. Excluding the 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup Qualifiers held last July, this series marks the first bilateral series in Bulawayo since the West Indies’ two-Test tour in February 2023. For Pakistan, it’s a return to Bulawayo since their clean sweep (5-0) in an ODI series way back in 2018.

The decision to host the matches at Queens Sports Club has resonated well with the local cricket community. Local coach Stanslaus Rukato sees this not only as a treat for fans but also as a golden opportunity for young, aspiring players. Witnessing their idols in action will undoubtedly ignite their passion for the game and inspire them to chase their own cricketing dreams.

“It was pleasing to hear that Pakistan will be coming to Bulawayo later in the year. It was a good move by Zimbabwe Cricket, it allows the local community to also identify themselves with the game, as a part of cricket. Not only that, but having games at Queens is good for local development. Our boys this side will get access to national coaches, it will help generate the passion for the game. Watching their heroes play creates that passion. It’s good for us locally, we will definitely be ending the year on a high with some good quality international cricket.

“We are all looking forward to it and hopefully the games will be highly competitive,” said Rukato.
Pakistan, however, enjoys a good success rate over the Chevrons. The two sides have met each other 18 times in T20Is with Pakistan winning 16 of those while Zimbabwe has only been victorious on a couple of occasions. The Chevrons’ latest win over Pakistan in T20Is was a one run thriller in the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Perth, Australia.

Meanwhile, ZC has announced a 15-member squad for their first ever Test against Ireland which is scheduled for Belfast later in the month. The only Test is set for July 25 to 29 at Stormont.
match against Ireland

Craig Ervine (captain), Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Tendai Chatara, Tanaka Chivanga, Joylord Gumbie, Roy Kaia, Clive Madande, Wellington Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Sean Williams. – @brandon_malvin