The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced that England will play a men’s Test match against Zimbabwe next year. The one-off match will be England’s first match against Zimbabwe in 2003 and will take place in Nottingham starting on May 22.
“To be welcoming Zimbabwe back for a men’s Test Match will be a historic moment, more than 20 years since their last visit,” said ECB chief executive Richard Gould.
🏏 Summer 2025 looking 🔥
🇮🇳 India 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
🇿🇦 South Africa 🌴 West Indies
🗓 Fixtures are here! 👇— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 22, 2024
“Test cricket is so beloved in this country, and we know that we have an important role to play in supporting developing Test cricketing nations so that this format of the game thrives long into the future.”
The Zimbabwe match will be followed by five Tests against India starting at Headingley, Leeds. The fifth test against India scheduled to end on August 04, is the last test England will play before they bid to regain the Ashes in a 2025/26 series in Australia.
The ECB has also announced Lord’s will stage its first women’s test in 2026 when England faces India. The match will take place 50 years since the late Rachael Heyhoe Flinto first led an England women’s team at the London ground.
“I played 15 Tests for England during my career but none of those were at Lord’s,” said England Women’s great claire Taylor.
“So I’m delighted at this news and most importantly for the players who’ll make history playing in this fixture in 2026.
“Young girls playing up and down the country can now aspire to play Test match cricket at the Home of Cricket. It is a clear demonstration that cricket is a game for all.”
But the 2025 season will see the England Women’s side go without a home test for two years in a row. Both West Indies men’s and women’s sides will visit for a white-ball series between May and June with three T20 internationals and three ODI for each series.
England men’s white-ball sides will host South Africa in September, before travelling to Ireland at the end of the month.
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