Arjit - Friday, Jun 27, 2025An exciting match is coming up for cricket lovers where Zimbabwe will host South Africa at their home. This is the first match of the two-match Test series, and both teams will be eager to get off to a strong start in this series. South Africa are coming after recently winning the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title, while Zimbabwe will want to take advantage of their home conditions.
Match: Zimbabwe vs South Africa, 1st Test
Series: South Africa tour of Zimbabwe, 2025 (2 Test Series)
Date: Saturday, 28 June, 2025 to Wednesday, 2 July, 2025
Time (IST): 1:30 PM (13:30 IST)
Stadium: Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Broadcaster (India): Live streaming will be available on the FanCode app and website. Live telecast will not be available on television.
Live Score: Will be available on major cricket websites (like Cricbuzz, ESPNcricinfo).
Zimbabwe: The home team Zimbabwe is facing some challenges in this series. Some of their important players are injured, while star all-rounder Sikandar Raza will not be available due to his busy schedule in Major League Cricket. The team will be led by experienced batsman Craig Ervine. He will rely on the return of players like Vincent Masekesa and uncapped fast bowler Kundai Matigimu and new faces. Zimbabwe will try to give a tough fight to a strong team like South Africa on their home ground and prove their potential.
South Africa: Defending WTC champions South Africa are resting some of their regular players on this tour, including big names like Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. Captain Temba Bavuma is also out due to a hamstring injury, so spinner Keshav Maharaj will lead the team. This will be a good opportunity for him to try out his bench strength. Young players like Dewald Brevis and Luan-Dre Pretorius can make their Test debut, which will bring new enthusiasm to the team. South Africa's goal will be to continue their winning streak by winning this series.
A total of 9 Test matches have been played between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Zimbabwe won: 0
South Africa won: 8
Drawn: 1
This record clearly shows that South Africa has had the upper hand.
The pitch at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo is usually dry. The pacers might get a little help initially, but historically this pitch has been good for the batsmen. Spinners might also come into play later. Since there is no chance of rain, the captain who wins the toss might prefer to bowl first.
For fantasy cricket, this match presents some interesting options:
South African Batsmen: Despite several key players of the team being out, players like Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi and David Bedingham can be expected to score big.
South African Bowlers: Keshav Maharaj, who is also captaining, can take important wickets with his spin. The young pacers can also make an impact.
Zimbabwe Key Players: Captain Craig Ervine will be the key batsman for Zimbabwe. Pacers like Blessing Muzarabani and Tanaka Chiwanga can also prove to be important. Sean Williams can be a good all-rounder option.
All-rounders: Players who can contribute with both batting and bowling are always valuable in a fantasy team.
South Africa, due to their record and team depth, are the favorites in this match. However, Zimbabwe will try their best to take advantage of their home conditions. Still, South Africa's mix of young and experienced players will give them an edge.
Our Prediction: South Africa will win this Test match.
