After their thrilling three-match T20 International series, Zimbabwe and Pakistan will go head-to-head in a two-Test series, starting Thursday. As usual, Pakistan will start as favourites. But the current Zimbabwean side is known for their fighting spirit, as seen in the recent T20 matches. (More Cricket News)
Zimbabwe remain on the periphery of Test cricket and their home assignments against fifth-ranked Pakistan will give them enough opportunity to learn new tricks for the Sean Williams-led young side. They recently played a 1-1 draw with Afghanistan in the UAE.
For Pakistan, this will be another series where Babar Azam & Co should stamp their authority.
Head-to-head: They have met 17 times in Test cricket, with Pakistan leading the head-to-head record 10-3. But Zimbabwe won the last meeting by 24 runs at Hahare in 2013. Their two other wins have come in 1995 at Harare, by an innings and 64 runs; and in 1998 at Peshawar, by seven wickets.
Match and telecast details:
Match: First Test cricket match between Zimbabwe and Pakistan
Days: April 29 (Thursday) to May 3 (Monday), 2021.
Time: 1:00 PM/09:30 AM local.
Venue: Harare Sports Club, Harare, Zimbabwe
TV Channels: Not available in India
Live streaming: FanCode (Subscription required)
Likely XIs:
Zimbabwe: Prince Masvaure, Kevin Kasuza, Tarisai Musakanda, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams (c), Milton Shumba, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chisoro, Donald Tiripano, Blessing Muzrabani, Luke Jongwe.
Pakistan: Imran Butt, Abid, Ali, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (c), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf, Nauman Ali, Hasan Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Afridi.
Squads:
Zimbabwe: Williams Sean (c), Chakabva Regis, Chisoro Tendai, Chivanga Tanaka, Jongwe Luke, Kaia Roy, Kasuza Kevin, Masakadza Wellington, Masvaure Prince, Musakanda Tarisai, Muzarabani Blessing, Ngarava Richard, Nyauchi Victor, Shumba Milton, Brendan Taylor, Tiripano Donald.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Agha Salman, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imran Butt, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dhani, Tabish Khan, Zahid Mahmood.
