Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. By The Telegraph
LONDON: England are planning to host Zimbabwe for the first time in more than 20 years, marking the resumption of cricket ties between the nations, and could invite the African nation as well as Bangladesh to play Test cricket at Lord’s in the coming years.
England have not hosted Zimbabwe since 2003 and last played them in any bilateral series in 2004. The cricketing relationship with the boards was marred by the political situation in Zimbabwe under the Robert Mugabe regime, with England withdrawing from their match there in the 2003 World Cup. The UK Government subsequently instructed England to avoid playing Zimbabwe.
But political relations between the countries have improved somewhat and several other nations have been to Zimbabwe for pre-season tours. Inviting Zimbabwe for a Test match at Lord’s would mark the resumption of cricketing relations between the countries. England are the only one of the International Cricket Council’s 12 full members not to play Zimbabwe in any bilateral cricket during the 2022-27 future tours programme.
The gap between England and Zimbabwe playing a bilateral fixture is comfortably the longest of any two full members, with even India and Pakistan playing a series against each other as recently as 2013.
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