A Historic Occasion
The last Boxing Day Test in Zimbabwe was back in 1996, when England toured the country. That match was affected by rain and ended in a draw in Harare. Zimbabwe has previously played in two other Boxing Day Tests, one in Wellington in 2000 and another in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha) in 2017.
Tour Schedule
The Afghanistan tour will kick off with white-ball matches before moving to the Test series. Here’s the complete schedule:
T20I Matches:
- Dec 9: 1st T20I, Harare
- Dec 11: 2nd T20I, Harare
- Dec 12: 3rd T20I, Harare
ODI Matches:
- Dec 15: 1st ODI, Harare
- Dec 17: 2nd ODI, Harare
- Dec 19: 3rd ODI, Harare
Test Matches:
- Dec 26-30: 1st Test, Bulawayo
- Jan 2-6: 2nd Test, Bulawayo
Excitement for the Series
Zimbabwe Cricket Chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming matches, stating, “Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests are iconic fixtures, and we are thrilled to add them to our calendar this festive season. We look forward to celebrating one of cricket’s finest traditions.” He also highlighted the commitment to improving cricket in Zimbabwe through all formats.
Mirwais Ashraf, from the Afghanistan Cricket Board, acknowledged the significance of this tour, saying, “Playing in Zimbabwe has always been a challenge for us, but I believe our team can face it confidently.”
Past Encounters
Afghanistan and Zimbabwe have a history of competition, having played two Test matches, 28 ODIs, and 15 T20Is against each other. In their most recent encounters during a series in Abu Dhabi in March 2021, each team won one game.