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The Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo will host the opening Test of Zimbabwe's two-match series against New Zealand. The two teams haven't played each other in a red-ball game since August of 2016. New Zealand sustained two serious injuries just before kickoff. Due to a shoulder injury, Captain Tom Latham was unable to play in the opening match. As a result, the squad has decided to support Mitchell Santner, the white-ball captain. Glenn Phillips, an all-rounder, was also ruled out, and Michael Bracewell took his place.
New Zealand, on the other hand, is quite powerful, and after two to three weeks in Zimbabwe, they had adapted fairly well. South Africa completely destroyed Zimbabwe in two tests, and they will need to perform very well to exert any pressure on New Zealand. However, they strengthened the team by adding Sikandar Raza and a few more players.
Zimbabwe vs New Zealand 1st Test Match Details:
| Match | Zimbabwe vs New Zealand,First Test, New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe 2025 |
| Venue | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| Date & Time | July 30 to August 3, 1:30 pm (IST) |
| Live Broadcast and Streaming Details | FanCode (app & website) |
Queens Sports Club Pitch Report:
In the earlier Test matches, the surface at Queens Sports Club did not crumble. It is anticipated to improve for batting. As the game progresses, spin will have an impact, but new-ball bowlers might receive more help.
Weather Forecast:
Bulawayo's weather forecast for the next five days indicates that there won't be any rain. Rather, the weather will be sunny and bright, with an average temperature of about 23°C. With a moderate wind speed of 15–18 kmph, the average humidity during the scheduled time will be between 30 and 35 per cent.
Head to Head:
| Matches Played | 17 |
| Won by Zimbabwe | 0 |
| Won by New Zealand | 11 |
| Drawn | 6 |
ZIM vs NZ Predicted Playing XI:
Zimbabwe: Craig Ervine (c), Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Wellington Masakadza, Trevor Gwandu, Blessing Muzarabani, Tanaka Chivanga, Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Nick Welch, and Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk).
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke, Matthew Fisher, Ajaz Patel, Tom Latham (c), Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Mitchell Santner
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