Zimbabwe, Australia to fight each other in a historic tournament

Australia are set to tour Zimbabwe in September next year for a three-match ODI series ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Africa. The schedule for the ODI series between Zimbabwe and Australia is expected to be officially announced in the coming weeks, but Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) had hoped to secure a Test match.

Australia are expected to visit Zimbabwe before beginning their Test and ODI tour of South Africa in September-October 2026, as reported by News Corp.

The series will be Australia’s first trip to Zimbabwe since 2018, when they played in a T20 tri-series. Zimbabwe have hosted smaller teams in recent years.

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Facing Top Teams Helps Zimbabwe After Years of Limited High-Level Competition

For many years, Zimbabwe mostly played lower-ranked teams like Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Ireland because top cricket nations were not touring regularly. This limited their chances to test themselves against stronger opposition.

However, that has changed recently. In 2024 and 2025, Zimbabwe faced big teams such as India, South Africa, England, and New Zealand. Meeting these top sides year after year gives the Chevrons a better idea of where they truly stand.

Playing only mid-level teams can create a false sense of progress. Tough losses against stronger nations, however, help the team understand the real gaps in their game and push them to improve.

Australia Set for Zimbabwe ODI Tour in 2026

The upcoming Australia tour of Zimbabwe is expected to take place in Harare and possibly Bulawayo, as the new 10,000-seat stadium in Victoria Falls will not be ready in time.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Zimbabwe Cricket had hoped to add a one-off Test to make the tour more special. However, Australia could not agree because they have a very busy Test calendar, with at least 19 matches lined up from mid-2026 until the 2027 Ashes.

However, an ODI series has been prioritised, especially since Zimbabwe will co-host the next 50-over World Cup with South Africa and Namibia.

Australia and Zimbabwe have met only three times in Tests. Their last series was in 2003, when Matthew Hayden hit his then world-record 380 at the WACA. The only Test played in Zimbabwe happened in 1999, when Steve Waugh’s team won by ten wickets in Ian Healy’s final Test.

Playing Against the Best Teams Will Help Our Players - Zimbabwe Cricket

Zimbabwe Cricket has been working to secure hosting major teams, hoping that late 2026 would bring rare chances to host sides like Australia and England.

ZC chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani said that facing top Test nations at home is crucial for growing the format in Zimbabwe and for helping local players develop by competing against stronger opposition.

"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," ZC 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."

Also read: BCCI announces India’s squad for U19 Asia Cup; Ayush Mhatre named captain