Zimbabwe will be hosting Afghanistan for a two-match test series in 2024-25 where the series starts on Boxing Day, which falls on December 26, 2024. The second Test will be the New Year’s Test and both Tests will be played in Bulawayo.
Twenty-eight years have passed since Zimbabwe hosted a Boxing Day test in 1996 when they hosted England. That Test took place in Harare and rain interruptions forced the match into a draw.
Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukulani announced the home Test series against Afghanistan. The African side will also host the Afghan team for three T20Is and three ODIs in Harare.
A Boxing Day Test in Bulawayo 🙌
More on Zimbabwe’s 28-year first as they host Afghanistan later in the year 👉 https://t.co/tz7DKUwTY2 pic.twitter.com/o3DqLdeJjL
— ICC (@ICC) October 30, 2024
“Boxing Day and New Year’s Test matches are iconic cricket fixtures that we are delighted to be adding to our calendar this festive season and we are looking forward to celebrating in style one of the finest traditions in the sport’s long history,” said Mukuhlani.
The last time Zimbabwe participated in a Boxing Day Test match was back in 2017 when they visited South Africa for a contest in Gqeberha. The Proteas won that Test by an Innings and 120 runs inside three days only.
This will be Afghanistan’s first Boxing Day Test match. In fact, the Afghan team has never played a Test in December ever before. They played two tests against Zimbabwe in March 2021, where both teams won one match each. Here is the complete schedule for the upcoming tour.
Meanwhile, in the ODIs, Afghanistan have an advantage of 18 wins from 28 games. This becomes an overwhelming advantage for the Asian side in T20Is who have 14 wins in 15 encounters.
Recently Afghanistan secured a bilateral series win against South Africa 2-1 at home. The tour will begin with a three-match T20I series starting on December 09 at Harare Sports Club. The second and third games will be played on December 09 and 11.
Meanwhile, the ODI series will kick off on December 15 while the second and third game is scheduled to take place on December 11 and 12 and will be played in Harare Sports Club.
