Australia set for 2027 return after 'great time' in Zimbabwe

After more than a decade elapsed between visits to Zimbabwe for anything longer than a T20, Australia's men's team are likely to be back in a little over 12 months' time.  

As Australia's 3-0 ODI series sweep drew large and lively crowds to Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe's heart-on-his-sleeve captain Sikandar Raza made a plea for cricket's big dogs to make more regular trips to the African nation which will co-host next year's ODI World Cup along with South Africa and Namibia.

The planned opening of a A$16.8m stadium at Victoria Falls, on the Zambezi River that forms the country's northern border with Zambia, shapes as an enormous drawcard near a UNESCO World Heritage site that is Zimbabwe's biggest tourist attraction.

The International Cricket Council, which last week confirmed Zimbabwe Cricket chief Tavengwa Mukuhlani as its new deputy chair, has announced the (still-under-construction) 10,000-seat venue will be one of three Zimbabwean venues to see 2027 World Cup action along with established grounds in Harare and Bulawayo.

Whether Australia's 50-over title defence takes them back to Zimbabwe is unknown, with the ICC yet to confirm the tournament schedule.

But it is understood plans have been made for the Aussies to play three more bilateral ODIs in Zimbabwe next year in the lead-in to the October-November World Cup.

The mooted series shapes as a more-than-handy final tune-up for a tournament being held in Africa for the first time since Ricky Ponting's men lifted the 2003 trophy.

Australia otherwise will play scarce 50-over cricket leading into the World Cup given their busy run of Tests. Three ODIs against New Zealand in northern Australia is their only other planned engagement in the format in 2027.

Led by stand-in captain Mitch Marsh who spent three formative years of his childhood in Harare, the near full-strength Australian squad have been enthusiastic tourists of Zimbabwe during their 11-day stay.

"Speaking to them, I think they've had a great time," Raza said of his opponents after they dealt his side a heartbreaking one-wicket defeat on Sunday.

"I remember speaking to Mitch at the toss of the first game, and he said, 'Do you think there'll be a crowd?' and I said, 'I can guarantee you there'll be a crowd'. The crowd did not let us down.

"Speaking to Mitch today at the toss, he was like, 'Man, I'm super impressed with the crowd. It brought back a lot of memories.' So it's nice to have Aussies here and they're going to be here next year again.

"We can't wait for our Vic Falls Stadium to be open and for us to play the first game. Regardless of the opposition, I think it's going to be a great moment for Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Cricket."

Josh Inglis, who struck a match-winning 102 in the final ODI, suggested Australia's first tour of Zimbabwe since a 2018 T20 tri-series, and first ODIs in the country since 2014, had been a beneficial look at World Cup conditions.

He praised Zimbabwe's batting unit for posting competitive scores – 235, 272 and 8-271 - in all three matches with Raza, Craig Ervine and Innocent Kaia hitting five half-centuries between them.

"We're going to be in those situations again, and for those guys to have done that today with a World Cup 12 months away, it will leave a good feeling with them," Inglis said after Nathan Ellis added 45 for the final two wickets to see Australia home in the third ODI's final over.

"They'll have a better idea of how to go about that situation again next time it arises.

"I thought (Zimbabwe) performed really well the whole series. Especially with the bat, they scored a lot of runs, they scored big totals, and they put us under pressure at times.

"So it definitely wasn't an easy task. Zimbabwe are a team we've lost to a couple of times over the last few years as well.

"We knew what we were coming up against, obviously in their home conditions, and they pushed us right to the edge today."

Zimbabwe have failed to qualify for the last two ODI World Cups and were suspended by the ICC for government interference in 2021.

They are currently ranked 11th in ODIs and 12th in T20Is but Raza insisted his team was one on the rise having beaten Australia and Sri Lanka to record their best ever T20 World Cup result in February.

The veteran allrounder rued the missed opportunity to pull off what would have been a third win over Australia in their last five matches on Sunday, having also pulled off a tight victory in an ODI in Townsville in 2022.

Zimbabwe's Test side has also shown some promise. Weeks before Bangladesh pulled off their upset over Australia in Darwin in August, the Richard Ngarava-led team had defeated the Tigers by an innings in Harare. They also beat Bangladesh in the ensuing home ODI series.

The prospect of Australia facing Zimbabwe in the longest format for the first time since 2003 however remains distant given they are not part of the World Test Championship. The Aussies last travelled to Zimbabwe for a Test in 1999.

"I know we have lost (to Australia) – I know that – but I don't think Zimbabwe has regressed," said Raza. "I do think we have made some great strides and progress.

"What it is that I have seen is that Zimbabwe is (going) in the right direction, and we are progressing.

"Hopefully, with more ODIs and bigger nations coming to Zimbabwe, our progress will be faster. That's what we're hoping for.

"People look at the results – and results are important to all of us, to you, to fans, to the country – but as a captain, with this side we are progressing. If we keep this fight, this hunger, then I genuinely believe we will win more in the near future than lose."

Zimbabwe face Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the UAE next month in an ODI tri-series, followed by T20Is and two Tests against Afghanistan. Raza was not yet ready to turn his attention to it.

"Let me deal with the demons of today," he said. "I'll think about the tri-series in a week's time."

Qantas tour of Zimbabwe 2026

All matches broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First ODI: Australia beat Zimbabwe by 59 runs

Second ODI: Australia beat Zimbabwe by 84 runs

Third ODI: Australia beat Zimbabwe by one wicket

Zimbabwe squad: Sikandar Raza (c), Ben Curran, Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans, Brendan Taylor, Brian Bennett, Craig Ervine, Ernest Masuku, Graeme Cremer, Innocent Kaia, Newman Nyamhuri, Ryan Burl, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Wessly Madhevere

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First ODI: September 24, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6pm AEST (10am local)

Second ODI: September 27, Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, 6pm AEST (10am local)

Third ODI: September 30, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 9:30pm AEST (D/N, 1:30pm local)

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Duan Jansen, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Nqobani Mokoena, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Warm-up match: October 3-4, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 6pm AEST (10am local)

First Test: October 9-13, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6:30pm AEDT (9:30am local)

Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster