Both the first-ever New Year’s Test and the first Boxing Day Test in Zimbabwe’s history will take place in Bulawayo, with Zimbabwe hosting Afghanistan for the first time in 28 years.
The only prior Boxing Day Test in Zimbabwe took place in 1996, during England’s visit, and was drew in Harare due to the weather. Zimbabwe has only participated in two Boxing Day Tests, in Wellington (2000) and Port Elizabeth (currently Gqeberha, 2017).
White-ball matches will begin the all-format trip with three Twenty20 Internationals (T2oIs) between December 9 and December 12 and three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) between December 15 and 19. Following these matches in Harare, the teams will travel to Bulawayo for the red-ball matches.
Zimbabwe Cricket chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani stated, “We are thrilled to add iconic cricket fixtures to our calendar this festive season, including Boxing Day and New Year’s Test matches.” We look forward to celebrating in style one of the finest traditions in the sport’s long history.”
“Matches between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan are always intense and exciting affairs and we have no doubt the players will once again serve up some great entertainment befitting such a historic tour.”
“The all-format tour to Zimbabwe is an important event for us,” stated Mirwais Ashraf, his counterpart in the Afghanistan Cricket Board. We have a long history with Zimbabwe, and although playing there has always been difficult, I think the Afghan Atalan will handle the task with assurance.”
In addition to 28 ODIs and 15 T20Is, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe have played two Test matches against one another. Both sides won one game each during the March 2021 series in Abu Dhabi.
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