The series, scheduled ahead of Australia’s tour to South Africa in September-October 2026, will be played in Harare and possibly Bulawayo. The flagship 10,000-seat stadium at Victoria Falls is unlikely to be ready in time for the visit. The matches represent important preparation for both nations ahead of the 2027 World Cup in southern Africa, which Zimbabwe will co-host alongside South Africa and Namibia.
Test Cricket Dreams Dashed
Zimbabwe Cricket had pushed vigorously for a one-off Test match to be included in what would have been a showpiece fixture. However, these hopes won’t materialize, with Australia facing a congested schedule that includes at least 19 Test matches from mid-2026 through the 2027 Ashes tour.
“We are a Test nation, so playing the top countries like Australia and England at home will go a long way to making this format popular in Zimbabwe,” Zimbabwe Cricket chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani told ESPNcricinfo. “Playing against the best teams will help our players develop their skills in Test cricket. Understandably Australia wants to prepare for the World Cup, but hopefully we can play them in Test cricket in the future.”
Limited Historical Encounters
The Test cricket history between Australia and Zimbabwe remains remarkably sparse, with just three matches contested across their entire relationship. The last encounter occurred in October 2003, with that series best remembered for Matthew Hayden’s innings of 380 at the WACA briefly a world record Test score.
The only Test in Zimbabwe was played in 1999 when Steve Waugh’s Australia won by 10 wickets in what proved to be Ian Healy’s final Test match. Australia last visited Zimbabwe for limited-overs cricket in 2018 for a T20 tri-series, while their previous 50-over format tour occurred in 2014.
World Cup Context and Future Hopes
The ODI series carries particular significance as preparation for the 2027 World Cup. For Zimbabwe, co-hosting the tournament represents an enormous opportunity to showcase their infrastructure and inspire the next generation through exposure to world-class cricket. Playing against Australia provides invaluable experience against one of ODI cricket’s most successful nations.
Zimbabwe’s prospects for regular Test cricket may improve with the next World Test Championship cycle likely to feature all 12 Full Members in one division. This would include Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, and Ireland currently excluded from the nine-team structure and provide greater incentive for teams to play fixtures against these nations.
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Despite resource constraints, Zimbabwe plans to be ambitious. “Some countries might just play a minimum number of Tests, but we are hoping to play more,” Mukuhlani said. “We will aim to stage two or more Test match series against the likes of Australia and England.”
Zimbabwe Cricket is also optimistic that England will visit for a one-off Test as an extension of their South Africa tour in late 2026-early 2027, potentially at the new Victoria Falls stadium. England and Zimbabwe ended their own 22-year Test drought in May with a match at Trent Bridge.
While the 2026 ODI series represents welcome progress and provides crucial World Cup preparation, the absence of Test cricket disappoints Zimbabwe Cricket’s ambitions to host elite opponents in the longer format. The series reflects both advancement and persistent challenges in securing fixtures against cricket’s powerhouse nations a struggle familiar to emerging Test countries seeking regular competition that’s essential for development and the format’s domestic popularity.
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