![England set to tour Zimbabwe next year [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1794647616991_EnglandsettotourZimbabwenextyear.jpg?type=hq)
England set to tour Zimbabwe next year [Source: AFP]
For the first time in 30 years, England will tour Zimbabwe, as the Three Lions will play a one-off Test match against the hosts in 2027. According to a report by The Telegraph, the ECB had a discussion about the same at the ICC’s quarterly meeting in Bali.
It was in 1996 when the two sides collided in a Test match in Zimbabwe, and although the Test match is reportedly locked in, the official dates are yet to be revealed by either of the two boards. However, the venue has been decided as the Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls will hold the iconic contest.
England ended bilateral ties with Zimbabwe
England and Zimbabwe have shared a strained cricketing relationship, with the ECB ending all bilateral ties with Zimbabwe due to the repressive domestic policies of its government.
In the 2003 World Cup, in which matches also took place in Zimbabwe, England refused to play in Harare, citing security reasons. The ICC awarded points to Zimbabwe, and the team progressed to the next round, whereas England failed to reach the next stage.
Five years later, in 2008, the ECB officially revealed that they have suspended all ties with Zimbabwe, and cancelled their schedule tour of England in 2009.
The two teams played against each other in December 2004, before the relations worsened, and it wasn’t until 2025 that Zimbabwe toured England, and the two teams played in a one-off Test.
What happened the last time England toured Zimbabwe for a Test series?
It was in 1996 when the Three Lions toured Zimbabwe for a two-match Test series. The first game of the tour took place in Bulawayo, and it ended in a draw.
England needed 205 runs to seal the win, and on the last ball of the match, the visitors needed 3 runs. However, Nick Knight was run out, and the match ended in a draw.
The series decider took place in Harare, and again, the two teams couldn’t produce a result, as the two-match tour ended without having a positive result.
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