Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
AFTER a brutal run of form in Test cricket, Zimbabwe’s men’s national team is taking a much-needed break from the longest version of the game. For a nation that has endured an embarrassing nine Test matches this year with only a single win to show for it, this shift to one-day cricket feels less like a strategic move and more like a merciful reprieve from a slow, painful demise.
The Chevrons have been on the receiving end of a relentless series of defeats, their confidence battered and bruised.
They have suffered at the hands of Afghanistan, Ireland, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, and most recently, New Zealand. The continuous exposure to quality opposition has taken its toll. For head coach Justin Sammons, the upcoming series is a much-needed breather that he hopes will inject some energy back into the team.
The upcoming two-match One Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka, starting on August 29 at Harare Sports Club, is Zimbabwe’s first 50-over outing in six months. The team last played ODIs in February, managing to secure a 2-1 series win against Ireland.
Sammons remains confident that results will eventually come, though he acknowledges the team’s recent struggles. He believes a change of format will provide a mental reset.
“Sometimes it takes time (to get results). We might only see it in a year’s time, or in two years or three months. We still have to remain patient with the group, it has been hard in terms of the continuity of quality opposition week in and week out. You know you are under pressure continuously. There is always a fine line.
“It’s not easy to say it’s a relief but it is, it will be a refresher to go into a different format, a format that we last played when we played Ireland in February. To have two ODIs would be nice, we have played decently in ODI cricket, beating Ireland. We will have fresh blood into the group, new energy is always good, and the shorter format brings that energy,” Sammons said.
The Chevrons’ primary goal is the 2026 T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, which Zimbabwe will be hosting in September. Sammons is clear about his team’s mission to dominate their continental rivals, bringing the same energy and mindset that teams like South Africa and New Zealand brought against them. He stressed the importance of demonstrating a clear gulf in class between Zimbabwe and the other African nations.
“We are looking forward to it (Sri Lanka series), this has been extremely difficult, but I am still positive that if we are patient, results will show. It might not be now but I am positive moving forward into Sri Lanka, the Qualifiers, which is our main goal (results will show). That for us is the big one.
“I think we need to stay motivated, keep our heads held up high. New Zealand came out against us, with the same attitude, South Africa played us with the same attitude and that’s the attitude we have to bring to the Qualifiers when we are playing weaker teams, we have to believe and show them that they are a long way behind you, that’s the attitude,” he said.
The upcoming ODI series will be the first 50-over meeting between the two nations since January 2024, when they played a three-match series in Colombo. Sri Lanka won that series 2-0, with one game being rained out.
Historically, the head-to-head record is heavily skewed in Sri Lanka’s favour. In 64 ODI matches, Zimbabwe has only managed 12 wins, just three of which were on home soil. The Sri Lankans, by contrast, have won 49 matches, with 20 of those victories coming away from home.
The tour also includes a three-match T20I series, all set to be played at Harare Sports Club. This will be only the second bilateral T20I series between the two sides, as three of their previous six matches were played during tournaments. Zimbabwe will be hoping to improve their dismal record, as they have only one T20I victory against Sri Lanka to date. – @brandon_malvin.
