Australia will be back in Zimbabwe this September for a trio of one-day internationals, all pencilled in for Harare Sports Club on 15, 18 and 20 September. The short visit ends an eight-year gap since their last 50-over appearance in the country, a gap only briefly broken by a T20 tri-series in 2018.
Both sides have an eye on the 2027 men’s World Cup, which Zimbabwe will co-host with South Africa and Namibia. These three games form an early, useful marker. Australia need overs in African conditions; Zimbabwe want regular contests against the stronger Full-Member nations.
“We are delighted to welcome Australia back to Zimbabwe for what promises to be a highly competitive ODI series,” Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Givemore Makoni said. “Fixtures of this calibre are vital for our growth as a team. With the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 on the horizon, this tour provides invaluable preparation as we build towards hosting the tournament alongside South Africa and Namibia.”
Makoni added, “It is also a fantastic opportunity for our fans to experience top-level international cricket at home, and we look forward to strong support at Harare Sports Club.”
The pair last met in February at the T20 World Cup. Zimbabwe came out on top in Colombo, winning by 23 runs—handy recent history for the hosts and a reminder for Australia that the gap between the sides has narrowed.
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has been busy lining up more visitors. Bangladesh are expected in June, Afghanistan in October, both series yet to be rubber-stamped but well advanced. The board has used Harare’s position on the main flight path to Johannesburg to tempt touring teams to add a stop-over; it is a practical, cost-sharing approach that has started to bear fruit.
Long-form cricket is also back on the agenda. ZC hopes England will agree to a one-off Test in 2027, ideally at the new Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium near Victoria Falls. Construction on the 10,000-seater ground is due to finish later this year, though timelines in the region can be slippery.
England and Zimbabwe did at least end their 22-year Test drought last May with a four-day match at Trent Bridge. Before that, they had played only seven Tests in total, two of them in Zimbabwe—both draws back in 1996.
So, a steady, if modest, rebuild is under way. Australia’s three ODIs are not the biggest ticket on the calendar, but they matter. They give Zimbabwe competitive cricket at home, offer Australia a look at pitches they might see again in 2027, and—important for everyone—put another international series in front of supporters who have waited long enough.
