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England are likely to play a Test match in Zimbabwe during the next ICC Future Tours Programme, which will run from 2027 to 2031, with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) finalising the schedule for the cycle.
It will be their first Test in Zimbabwe since the famous 1996 tour, which is still remembered for former England coach David Lloyd's angry reaction after a dramatic draw.
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England agree to play one-off Test match in Zimbabwe after three decades
As reported by The Telegraph, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agreed in principle to play a one-off Test against Zimbabwe following discussions at the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in Bali.
The date for the historic one-off Test match between the England National Cricket Team and the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team is yet to be confirmed, but it is expected to be played at the new Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls.
The new stadium is scheduled to open next year and will also host four matches during the ICC ODI World Cup 2027, which Zimbabwe will co-host with South Africa and Namibia.
When ECB suspended Zimbabwe cricket ties in 2008
The planned one-off Test match is special because England and Zimbabwe have not played against each other for a long time due to political tensions. In 2008, the ECB decided to suspend cricket ties with Zimbabwe and cancelled a scheduled tour of England for the following year.
But the tension had started earlier. During the 2003 ODI World Cup, England refused to play their group match in Harare because of security concerns. The ICC awarded the points to Zimbabwe, helping them move into the Super Six stage, while England failed to progress from their group.
England played the ODI series in Zimbabwe the following year under Michael Vaughan's captaincy. However, they did not meet again in any format for 21 years. The gap finally ended in 2025 when Zimbabwe toured England for a one-off Test at Trent Bridge.
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'We Flippin' Murdered 'Em': England's unforgettable Zimbabwe tour
England's last played a Test match in Zimbabwe in 1996, which is remembered for one of the most unusual finishes in Test history. The first match in Bulawayo ended with both teams scoring exactly the same number of runs. England needed three runs from the final ball while chasing 205, but Nick Knight was run out while trying to complete the third run.
The result left England coach David Lloyd extremely frustrated. Angry Lloyd said: “We flippin’ murdered ’em. Hammered them. Bloody steamrollered them. They know it and we know it.”
Lloyd’s angry comments after the match became one of the biggest talking points of the tour, and the ECB later reprimanded him. England could not win the second Test either, as that match and the series also ended in draws.
ECB to finalise England's fixtures in Bali as ICC set to sticks with nine-team WTC
Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will work on finalising the rest of England's fixtures for the 2027-2031 period during the ongoing ICC meeting in Bali. The main focus will be on matches in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).
Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan are not expected to feature in the next WTC cycle, despite their efforts to expand the competition to all full members. After a lengthy discussion, the ICC board is expected to confirm that the WTC will continue with nine teams until at least 2029.
