The long Test drought between Australia and Zimbabwe is set to continue, but the countries will contest a three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe next year ahead of the 2027 World Cup in southern Africa.
Before their Test and ODI tour of South Africa, earmarked for September-October 2026, Australia will have a brief stopover in Zimbabwe for a trio of ODIs, a development first reported by News Corp and likely to be officially announced in the coming weeks.
The series is to be played in Harare, and possibly Bulawayo, with the flagship 10,000-seat stadium at Victoria Falls unlikely to be ready by then.
ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Zimbabwe Cricket had been pushing for a one-off Test match to be included in what would have been a showpiece of the tour. But it will not eventuate with Australia to undergo a heavy Test schedule, playing at least 19 Tests from mid-2026 to the Ashes tour of 2027. An ODI series also looms as important preparation for Australia with Zimbabwe to co-host the next 50-over World Cup along with South Africa and Namibia.
Zimbabwe and Australia have only played three Tests against each other with the last two being in October 2003 in a short series best remembered for Matthew Hayden briefly setting a world record score of 380 in the first Test at the WACA.
The only Test in Zimbabwe was played in 1999 when a Steve Waugh-led Australia won by 10 wickets in what proved to be wicketkeeper Ian Healy's last Test match.
The ODI series will end an eight-year absence for Australia in Zimbabwe. Australia were part of a T20 tri-series, also involving Pakistan, in 2018 while they last played the 50-over format there in 2014.
While Test cricket between the nations remains on pause, Zimbabwe power brokers are confident that England will visit for a one-off Test match as an extension of their tour to South Africa in late 2026-early '27. It is hoped the match will be played at Victoria Falls, named the Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium.
England and Zimbabwe in May ended a 22-year Test drought with a four-day match at Trent Bridge. The countries have played just seven Test matches against each other, with only two in Zimbabwe - a 0-0 drawn series in December 1996.
ZC have been actively trying to encourage countries to stopover en route to neighbouring South Africa and long circled late 2026 as opportunities to negotiate rare fixtures with Australia and England.
"We are a Test nation, so playing the top countries like Australia and England at home will go a long way to making this format popular in Zimbabwe," ZC chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani told ESPNcricinfo.
"Playing against the best teams will help our players develop their skills in Test cricket. Understandably Australia wants to prepare for the World Cup, but hopefully we can play them in Test cricket in the future."
As ESPNcricinfo reported earlier this month, the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is likely to feature all 12 Full Members in one division.
It means teams will have more incentive to play Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland, who aren't part of the current nine-team WTC. If the 12-team, one division WTC eventuates as expected - a final decision is likely at the ICC meetings in March - it has been widely assumed that those teams will mostly host one-off matches. No extra funding is expected to be available for hosting Tests.
But Zimbabwe plans to host longer series in the next WTC, doubling down on their commitment to Test cricket. "Some countries might just play a minimum number of Tests, but we are hoping to play more," Mukuhlani said. "We will aim to stage two or more Test match series against the likes of Australia and England."