Australia to tour to Zimbabwe in 2026 for white-ball assignment, no Tests scheduled

Australia are set to tour Zimbabwe for a three-match ODI series next year ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup in Southern Africa, but the long-standing Test drought between the two nations will continue.

Before their scheduled tour of South Africa in September-October 2026, the Aussies will make a short stop in Zimbabwe for One-Day Internationals. The development, first reported by News Corp, is expected to be officially confirmed soon. The matches will be played in Harare and potentially Bulawayo, as the 10,000-seater Victoria Falls Stadium is unlikely to be ready in time.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Zimbabwe Cricket had pushed hard for a one-off Test to be added to the series as a marquee fixture, but the idea was dropped due to Australia's packed Test calendar. Australia are set to play at least 19 Test matches from mid-2026 to the 2027 Ashes, leaving no room for an additional fixture.

The ODI series, however, holds significant value as preparation for Australia, with Zimbabwe co-hosting the 2027 World Cup alongside South Africa and Namibia. Australia and Zimbabwe have played only three Tests in history, with the last two held in 2003. That series is fondly remembered for Matthew Hayden’s then-world-record 380 at the WACA. Their only Test encounter on the Zimbabwean soil came in 1999, when Steve Waugh & Co. won by ten wickets.

This ODI tour will also mark Australia’s first return to Zimbabwe in eight years, their last visit was the 2018 T20 tri-series involving Pakistan, while their most recent ODI matches there were played in 2014. While a Test clash between the two nations remains unlikely for now, Zimbabwe cricket officials are optimistic that England will visit for a one-off Test in late 2026 or early 2027, potentially at the under-development Victoria Falls stadium.

England and Zimbabwe recently ended their 22-year Test hiatus with a four-day fixture at Trent Bridge in May. Zimbabwe Cricket continues to explore opportunities for teams to stop over en route to South Africa, hoping to secure more rare bilateral fixtures with top nations in the near future.

"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. 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,” ZC chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

As reported earlier, the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is expected to feature all 12 Full Member nations in a single division. This structure would give teams greater incentive to feature in red-ball games against Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, and Ireland, countries not included in the current nine-team WTC format.

If the 12-team, one-division WTC is approved, with a final decision anticipated at the ICC meetings in March, it is widely believed that many boards will opt to host primarily one-off Test matches, as no additional funding is expected for staging longer series. However, Zimbabwe is set to buck that trend, planning to host extended Test series in the upcoming WTC cycle, reaffirming their strong commitment to the longest format of the game.

"Some countries might just play a minimum number of Tests, but we are hoping to play more. We will aim to stage two or more Test match series against the likes of Australia and England,” Mukuhlani concluded.