Zimbabwe Cricket Team News & Matches

Captain: Craig Ervine (Test and ODI), Sikandar Raza (T20I)
Coaches: Justin Sammons (head coach), Dion Ebrahim (assistant coach), Charl Langeveldt (bowling coach), Stuart Matsikenyeri (fielding coach)
First international match: 1983
Cricket board: Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC)

Cricket was played in Zimbabwe from the late 19th century onwards. Lord Hawke and HDG Leveson Gower took touring parties to Rhodesia (as the country was called before independence) between 1899 and 1910, and Zimbabwe was sporadically part of the Currie Cup in South Africa's domestic system in the first half of the 20th century. As an Associate member of the ICC, they played three World Cups - 1983, where they beat Australia in what was their first ODI - 1987 and 1992. They became a Full Member in 1992 and hosted India for a one-off Test in Harare in October that year.

They had a fair amount of top-class talent in their early years as a Test nation: circa 2001, Andy Flower was a contender for the best Test batter in the world. His brother Grant was no slouch either, and in the likes of Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut and Neil Johnson, Zimbabwe had quality allrounders who could go toe to toe with the best. Still, they remained significantly weaker than the other Full Members, winning only one of their first 30 Tests, though either side of the turn of the 21st century, they impressed with Test wins over India (twice, in Harare) and Pakistan away.

In 1992, Zimbabwe beat England in the ODI World Cup, and by the second half of the decade, they were a decent one-day side, sweeping England 3-0 at home in 1997 and beating New Zealand home and away in 2000-01.

The early 2000s were a period of upheaval in Zimbabwe cricket. The 2003 World Cup, where Zimbabwe were co-hosts, is remembered for the "death of democracy" protest against Robert Mugabe's regime by Andy Flower and Henry Olonga - after which they were forced to seek political asylum abroad. In 2004, a player rebellion triggered by the sacking of Streak, the captain, weakened the side to the extent that the ICC and Zimbabwe Cricket decided to withdraw the team from Test cricket temporarily. They only made a full return seven years later, although the ODI and T20I sides continued to play and feature in the respective World Cups.

Tatenda Taibu, Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava and Sean Williams were some of their stars in the second and third decades of the 21st century, although Zimbabwe haven't won any major series or titles in this period, and they failed to qualify for the ODI World Cups in 2019 and 2023. Their most famous wins of the 2020s were a nerve-jangling one-run triumph over Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Perth, and a thrilling away Test win against Bangladesh in Sylhet.

Tests: 10
ODIs: 11
T20Is: 12

Tests: Most runs | Most wickets | Highest totals | Lowest totals
ODIs: Most runs | Most wickets | Highest totals | Lowest totals
T20Is: Most runs | Most wickets | Highest totals | Lowest totals

1983: Beat Australia in their first World Cup match, Trent Bridge

1995: First Test win, vs Pakistan in Harare

1997: First ODI series win, a 3-0 sweep of England at home

1998: First away Test win and first Test series win, a 1-0 win in a three-Test series in Pakistan

2007: Beat Australia in their first T20 World Cup match