TEST cricket returns to the capital with a bang as Zimbabwe lock horns with Afghanistan in a highly-anticipated one-off clash at the Harare Sports Club today.
This red-ball clash marks a return for Test cricket to the capital and ignites a rivalry that has seen fiercely contested matches in recent years. The hosts are determined to leverage home conditions and show the fruits of a challenging year against a determined Afghan side.
Zimbabwe’s last two encounters with Afghanistan saw a hard-fought draw followed by a 72-run defeat earlier this year in Bulawayo. As they return to the familiar confines of Harare, the message from the camp is clear: they are ready to turn the page. Yesterday, captain Craig Ervine spoke about the team’s excitement and preparation for the contest, acknowledging the importance of being back at their long-time home.
“It’s nice to be at a fresh venue, being back at Harare Sports Club,” Ervine said.
“I think guys are obviously excited to be back here and playing a test match here.”
Ervine confirmed the squad is mentally and physically prepared, despite the short turnaround.
“The preparations throughout the week have been really good. Although it's only been one week of preparations for the test match, I think the guys have put in huge amounts of shifts. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, guys have been coming in early to hit extra balls. So I think everybody, mentally and physically, is certainly ready for tomorrow.”
The match will be a litmus test for Zimbabwe after a rigorous year of Test cricket that included tough assignments against powerhouses. “I think a lot has been spoken about in our year of Test cricket. And obviously, we haven't really put in the performances that we would have liked,” Ervine said. “We've played some really tough opposition like England, New Zealand, and South Africa. That's a tough opposition for us to play. We don't play a lot of Test cricket. So it's been an eye-opening year for us.”
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Now, the focus shifts to translating those tough lessons into performance against Afghanistan.
“So I think coming into this Test Match, I think everybody wants to be able to see what we've learnt over the last year or so of Test cricket,” Ervine said.
Ervine was quick to caution against taking the visitors lightly, despite the absence of star spinner Rashid Khan.
“I think Afghanistan is not really a lesser side. I think they're still a very threatening side and a side that you can't be complacent about.”
He also noted the changes in the touring squad, saying the “team is slightly different to the side that came last year”.
“So there are a lot of names that we don't really know or aren't too familiar with. But again, I think they're not a side that you can take lightly,” Ervine said.
He praised the fighting spirit of the Afghans, saying, “Those guys are very passionate about their cricket”.
“They're guys that don't lie down. They're always going to fight right to the end. So we certainly have to try and match that. Hopefully, being here at Royal Sports Club, conditions favour us a little bit more."
The inclusion of Belgium-born star Antum Naqvi is another point of excitement for the home side.
“Antum's obviously done exceptionally well, I think, in domestic... I think having him around the group is also really good. You can see the positive energy that he brings to the group…,” Ervine said.
“He's been tested in the nets, obviously, with a much higher quality training that we have been doing, which is good for him to be exposed to as well, for him to learn. So he's really enjoyed that and we're really looking to see what he can provide for Zimbabwe on the international scene.”
With both teams fielding fresh faces and a rivalry to uphold, this one-off Test promises to be a gripping encounter before the attention turns to the three-match T20I series later in the tour.
