Zimbabwe Cricket has firmed up a short, five-match visit from Sri Lanka, squeezed into the final days of the southern winter. From 29 August to 7 September the sides will meet for two ODIs and three T20Is, all at Harare Sports Club. The Future Tours Programme had pencilled in three ODIs, yet both boards have settled on two, keeping a little wriggle room in what is already a crowded calendar.
The games land in the middle of a hectic run for Zimbabwe. This weekend they start a two-Test series with South Africa in Bulawayo. A T20I tri-series involving South Africa and New Zealand follows, before two Tests against New Zealand from 3 August. By mid-September the focus swings to the T20 World Cup Africa Regional Qualifiers, also on home soil, so competitive white-ball overs now carry obvious value.
“We are delighted to confirm Sri Lanka’s visit to Zimbabwe for what we expect to be a thrilling and competitive series,” Givemore Makoni, Zimbabwe Cricket’s managing director, said. “Matches between our two nations have always produced entertaining cricket and this tour comes at a crucial time for our team as we prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup qualifying campaign.”
Sri Lanka last played a bilateral series in Zimbabwe back in 2016, though they were around as recently as 2023 for the World Cup Qualifier. Their immediate priority is Bangladesh, who are touring the island for Tests, ODIs and T20Is, but a trip north should still offer useful match-time before their own packed season.
For Zimbabwe the Sri Lanka games provide a chance to settle combinations after the disappointment of missing the 2024 T20 World Cup. The selectors are likely to lean on seniors such as Sikandar Raza while keeping an eye on emerging quicks who looked lively during the domestic Pro50 Cup. How batting orders juggle formats in successive weeks will be worth watching; tired pitches at Harare in early September can be two-paced, so strike rotation and late-innings power may become themes.
An all-format visit from Afghanistan is pencilled in for later this year, rounding off what could be Zimbabwe’s busiest home programme in almost a decade.
