Home
Cricket
Cricket Christmas! Zimbabwe prepare for long-awaited Boxing Day & New Year’s Tests vs Afghanistan

Cricket Christmas! Zimbabwe prepare for long-awaited Boxing Day & New Year’s Tests vs Afghanistan

The last time Zimbabwe hosted a Test series was against the West Indies in February 2023, with the Caribbeans winning 1-0.

In a historic move, Zimbabwe Cricket and the Afghanistan Cricket Board have announced a joint tour that will see the two nations face off in a Test series in Bulawayo. The highlight of the tour will be two Test matches, with the first one starting on Boxing Day (December 26) and the second on New Year’s Day (January 2). Since Boxing Day Test matches are a beloved fixture in many cricketing nations, this is a momentous occasion for Zimbabwean cricket. It has been 28 years since Zimbabwe last hosted a Boxing Day Test.

ZIM vs AFG: Feast for Test cricket fans!

The tour will begin with a white-ball leg in Harare, featuring three T20Is and three ODIs. This will be followed by the much-anticipated Test series in Bulawayo.

Zimbabwe Cricket Chair, Tavengwa Mukuhlani, expressed his excitement about the upcoming series: “Boxing Day and New Year’s Test matches are iconic cricket fixtures that we are delighted to be adding to our calendar this festive season. We are looking forward to celebrating one of the finest traditions in the sport’s long history.”  

Mirwais Ashraf, the head of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, also shared his enthusiasm: “The all-format tour to Zimbabwe is a significant event for us. We have a rich history with Zimbabwe, and playing there has always been challenging, but it’s a challenge I believe the Afghan Atalan can face confidently.”

The two teams have faced each other in two Test matches so far, with the results evenly split at 1-1, with both taking place in Abu Dhabi. This series promises to be an exciting and closely contested affair, as both nations look to make their mark in the longest format of the game.

Afghanistan tour of Zimbabwe schedule

DateMatch
Dec 91st T20I, Harare
Dec 112nd T20I, Harare
Dec 123rd T20I, Harare
Dec 151st ODI, Harare
Dec 172nd ODI, Harare
Dec 193rd ODI, Harare
Dec 26-301st Test, Bulawayo
Jan 2-62nd Test, Bulawayo
Follow
Share

Editor's Pick

UAE confirmed as neutral venue for ICC Champions Trophy, India vs Pakistan match in Dubai: Report Cricket UAE confirmed as neutral venue for ICC Champions Trophy, India vs Pakistan match in Dubai: Report

Top Stories

Share article
Follow us on social media
Tell us why didn’t you like our article so that we can improve on?
Choose ranking:
ICC Test Ranking
ICC ODI Ranking
ICC T20I Ranking