England are set to host Zimbabwe for the first time since June 2003 as both countries are slated to play in a one-off four-day Test match in May 2025. The game will run from May 28 to 31 but the venue for the same is yet to be decided.
The last time the two sides locked horns against each other in a bilateral series dates back to December 5, 2004, in Bulawayo which the tourists won by 74 runs. England, under the leadership of Michael Vaughan, toured the African nation for a four-match ODI series. The tourists dominated all the games of the series and registered a clean sweep winning by a margin of 4-0 against the Tatenda Taibu-led side.
Since then the two nations have not featured in a single bilateral series as political issues soured their relations after the Robert Mugabe-led government grabbed a strong hold over Zimbabwe's politics.
On the other hand, the Chevrons last toured England for a Test series in 2003 and played two Test matches, losing both of them to concede the series. The situation has worsened to such lengths as England forfeited points during the 2003 World Cup after they refused to play Zimbabwe in Harare. The England Cricket Board cut ties with Zimbabwe Cricket after seeking the government's advice back in 2005. However, with time things have changed for the better and the relations between the two boards have improved drastically.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould mentioned that the English board wants to build a "closer relationship" with Zimbabwe Cricket and the announcement of the one-off Test is a step in the same direction.
"We are delighted to be able to host Zimbabwe for a Men's Test match for the first time in two decades. Zimbabwe has a proud cricket history and have produced world-class players and coaches who have enriched the game across the world.
"We are committed to developing a closer relationship with Zimbabwe Cricket and the announcement of this Test against our England Men's team is a step in that ambition," said Gould as reported by England Cricket.
Zimbabwe Cricket's Managing Director, Givemore Makoni lauded ECB for resuming the cricketing relations between both countries and addressed the tour as "historic".
"We are absolutely delighted to be playing bilateral cricket in England for the first time in over two decades after we agreed to play a Test match in May 2025.
"The significance and magnitude of this tour cannot be over-emphasised, and I would like to say a huge thank you to the ECB for committing to the resumption of cricketing relations between our countries that date back to the introduction of the game in Zimbabwe in the 1890s.
"The experience of playing a Test match against a top team like England is massive for the current generation of our players, coming at a time when our game as a whole is on an upward trajectory.
"This will be a historic tour for everyone involved with cricket in Zimbabwe and we are already looking forward to some exciting action on the field of play," Makoni said.
