Zimbabwe expected to welcome Afghanistan for the first two-match Test at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, starting on December 26, 2024. The match is particularly exciting as it will be Zimbabwe's first ever Boxing Day Test in 28 years, adding to the excitement of the fixture.
Both the teams will come into this Test series following the winner's bracket. Afghanistan recently won the T20I series 2-1 and followed up with a convincing 2-0 victoryin the ODI series with Zimbabwe. This success in white ball cricket has boosted Afghanistan's confidence as they transition to the red ball. On the other hand, Zimbabwe will be looking to bounce back from a recent defeat in the short-run, aiming to show their strength in the Test series against historic Afghanistan.
Queens Sports Club Pitch Report
The Queens Sports Club ground in Bulawayo is famous, offering fair competition between batsmen and players. Historically, the first run at this venue has averaged 307 runs in recent matches, showing that while scoring is possible, it requires skill and patience from the batsmen.
Depending on the shape of the ball, the pitch tends to favor bowlers, especially early in the game when the new ball can cause seam movement. As the game goes on, however, it becomes more effective to hit, allowing more chances to win runs. Spinners can also get help later in the innings when the pitch falls.
Teams who win the toss are often faced with the decision to bat or bowl first, as both options can be successful depending on how the day goes. With the combination of humidity and cloud cover likely in the upcoming games, players will need to adapt quickly to the pace of the game.
Trials and Records at Queens Sports Club
- All comparisons: 25
- Match won first hit: 4
- Matches that won the first ball: 12
- Average 1st Inns score: 307
- Average 2nd Inns score: 395
- Average 3rd Inns score : 213
- Average 4th Inns score: 175
- Highest number recorded: 713/3 (165.3 Ov) and SL vs ZIM
- Lowest recorded score: 104/10 (49 Ov) and ZIM vs WI
Also READ: Zimbabwe have selected 7 players who have not been in their team for the Afghanistan Tests
ZIM vs AFG: Head-to-head history in Test Cricket
- All comparisons: 2
- Afghanistan won: 1
- Zimbabwe won: 1
- Matches drawn: 1
- Big score for Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe: 545
- Afghanistan's lowest score against Zimbabwe: 131
- Big score for Zimbabwe vs Afghanistanto: 365
- Lowest score for Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan: 250
Groups:
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Ikram Alikhail (wk), Afsar Zazai (wk), Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, and Fareed Ahmad Malik
Zimbabwe: Craig Ervine (c), Ben Curran, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Takudzwa Chataira, Joylord Gumbie, Trevor Gwandu, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brandon Mavuta, Nyasha Mayavo, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Sikandar Raza , Sean Williams.