Zimbabwe win toss, opt to field first
Afghanistan Test team visiting Zimbabwe for second time in 2025
Rashid Khan rested for Afghans in one-off Test
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bowl first in the one-off Test against Afghanistan at Harare Sports Club on Monday (October 20, 2025).
The two teams had locked horns in the red-ball format as recently as January in Bulawayo, and are resuming their rivalry in Harare.
Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe, One-Off Test: Playing XIs
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Nick Welch, Brendan Taylor, Craig Ervine (c), Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Brad Evans, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Tanaka Chivanga
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Abdul Malik, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Bahir Shah, Afsar Zazai (wk), Ismat Alam, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Khalil Gurbaz, Yamin Ahmadzai, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi
The Afghans had won the previous series against Zimbabwe 1-0, owing to a 72-run victory in the second Test. The first game had been drawn.
The upcoming match will be Zimbabwe's first home Test in Harare since 2021, after nine unsuccessful attempts at the Queens Sports Club. Talismanic Afghanistan all-rounder Rashid Khan has been rested for the one-off Test as a precaution before crucial upcoming games.
Afghanistan recently lost three cricketers after a Pakistani air strike, and the national team will aim to bring some cheer to their people with another away win. The Test, not part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, will be followed by a three-match T20I series at the same venue, starting October 29.
Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe, One-Off Test: Squads
Zimbabwe: Craig Ervine (c), Brian Bennett, Tanaka Chivanga, Ben Curran, Brad Evans, Roy Kaia, Tanunurwa Makoni, Wellington Masakadza, Tinotenda Maposa, Blessing Muzarabani, Antum Naqvi, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Brendan Taylor (wk), Nick Welch.
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Abdul Malik, Afsar Zazai, Ikram Alikhel, Bahir Shah, Shahidullah Kamal, Ismat Alam, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Zia Ur Rahman Akbar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Khalil Gurbaz, Bashir Ahmad.
