Latest news with #TavengwaMukuhlani
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Playing Powerhouse England In Test Cricket Has Been Years In The Making For Zimbabwe
When small cricket nation Zimbabwe finally ends a 22-year Test drought against powerhouse England on Thursday, Tavengwa Mukuhlani will be emotional sitting in the terraces at Trent Bridge in Nottingham. He will feel a sense of pride after working tirelessly for a decade as Zimbabwe Cricket's chair to restart bilateral ties with England. 'It's a sense of achievement on the part of Zimbabwe Cricket,' Mukuhlani told me in a phone interview on the eve of the one-off Test running from May 22-26. 'We have worked many years to get this goal fulfilled and it is a dream come true for all of us.' The two countries have not played each other in Tests since 2003, bilaterally since 2004 and not at all since September 2007, when they had met in the inaugural T20 World Cup. The relationship has long proved thorny due to strained political ties during the latter years of the reign of Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe. While Zimbabwe's political situation has changed since Mugabe was ousted from power in 2017, the country's cricket team struggled to unshackle itself from the political interference that started eroding the team in the early 2000s leading to the infamous player revolt in 2004. Zimbabwe in 2019 became the first Full Member cricket nation to be suspended from the International Cricket Council and their funding from the sport's governing body was frozen. But through plenty of work behind the scenes by Mukuhlani and his fellow administrators, and as the political scene became less volatile, Zimbabwe's governing body stabilized leading to a revival of the national team in recent years. However, it's been a battle for Zimbabwe to play Test cricket due to soaring financial costs associated with hosting the five-day format and reluctance from cash cows England, India and Australia to play them. India and Australia have at least played bilateral white-ball series against Zimbabwe in recent years, but resuming ties with England proved tough. After entering the hot seat in 2015, Mukuhlani was keen to engage in discussions but the spectre of Mugabe loomed large. Mugabe's ousting seemed a game-changer, but it still took until the start of this decade for discussions to start progressing before this one-off Test was finally agreed upon. England's cricket board are helping cover some of the tour costs for Zimbabwe, a smaller cricket nation who get significantly less funding from the International Cricket Council than their richer counterpart. England, so too India and Australia, are also armed with a billion dollar domestic broadcast deal compared to Zimbabwe's rather measly $2.5 million per annum from theirs. 'The bigger nations have a big responsibility to take care of the smaller ones to ensure Test cricket flourishes widely,' Mukuhlani said. Zimbabwe are not in the current nine-team World Test Championship and have mostly had to play against the other countries not part of the competition - Ireland and Afghanistan. But Zimbabwe have been determined to become an established Test side and this year will play 11 Tests - the most by any nation along with Australia - that includes a two-Test visit by South Africa next month. Mukuhlani, an influential figure on the ICC board, has been part of a working group focusing on current and future FTP bilateral planning arrangements. Another such committee is in the works looking at cricket's various formats, including Test cricket and perhaps tweaking the WTC. Mukuhlani is against a two division proposal unless it has promotion and relegation, but hopes a fairer structure can be worked out for Test cricket and ironed out in time for the post 2025-27 WTC cycle. 'There have been genuine problems with the FTP structure, but there is a lot of work being done to find solutions because the smaller countries deserve to play Test cricket,' he said. 'We have shown we want to play Test cricket, but it isn't easy hosting matches which costs around $500,000 per Test. So there has to be a way to help with the costs along with setting up domestic structures and A-tour pathways.' There is a lot of momentum for Zimbabwean cricket, with the sport in the landlocked southern African country spreading beyond its white, middle-upper class roots. It has also become a destination for major events, having hosted four international tournaments in recent years. Underlining its increased gravitas among power brokers, Zimbabwe also held the all-important ICC quarterly meetings recently. For so many Zimbabweans, the thought of playing a power nation again in Test cricket appeared a pipedream as the years rolled on. But that long exile finally ends and they are now dreaming big. 'I think the players will pull some surprises and will equip themselves very well on the big stage,' Mukuhlani said. 'It is the start of hopefully an uptick for Zimbabwe's Test team.'
Economic Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Economic Times
England-Zimbabwe 2025 Test: when & where to watch, venue, weather update, and full squads
England is set to end a 22-year absence from bilateral cricket with Zimbabwe by playing a historic Test match. The two nations have not faced each other in a bilateral series since 2003 due to off-field issues, but they will now renew ties with a four-day Test scheduled to take place at Trent Bridge in concept of hosting this landmark Test match emerged after the end of Robert Mugabe's rule in Zimbabwe and subsequent administrative reforms within Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC). In recent years, English County clubs proposed the revival of bilateral relations with Zimbabwe, prompting discussions between the cricket boards of both nations, which ultimately led to the agreement to hold a one-off Test Chairperson Tavengwa Mukuhlani even called Zimbabwe's inaugural tour to England a historic and significant upcoming one-off Test presents Zimbabwe with an opportunity to highlight their active year in the longest format of the game. They recently pulled off a major upset by beating Bangladesh in Sylhet last month, levelling the series 1-1. Although they lost the warm-up match, their victory over Bangladesh has boosted their confidence, and they'll be heading into the Test against England with momentum, hoping to replicate their the Ben Stokes-led team, the upcoming one-off Test against Zimbabwe will serve as valuable preparation for their five-match Test series against India scheduled for next month. The hosts will be looking to regain momentum after a 2-1 series loss to Pakistan ,followed by a 2-1 victory over New Zealand in their most recent Test campaigns, as they aim to uphold their dominance on home soil. However, ahead of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, they suffered a setback with young talent Jordan Cox ruled out due to injury. In response, the selectors brought in James Rewin as his is the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test scheduled to begin?The England vs Zimbabwe Only Test is set to commence on May 22. Where is the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test 2025 taking place?The one-off Test between England and Zimbabwe will be played at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in Nottingham. Which TV channels will air the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test in India? The England vs Zimbabwe Only Test will be broadcast in India on the Sony Sports Network. How can I watch the live streaming of the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test 2025? In India, the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test 2025 will be available for live streaming on the Sony Liv app. England vs Zimbabwe full squads England: Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, James Rew, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue Zimbabwe: Craig Ervine (c), Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Tanaka Chivanga, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Victor Nyauchi, Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
England-Zimbabwe 2025 Test: when & where to watch, venue, weather update, and full squads
England is set to end a 22-year absence from bilateral cricket with Zimbabwe by playing a historic Test match. The two nations have not faced each other in a bilateral series since 2003 due to off-field issues, but they will now renew ties with a four-day Test scheduled to take place at Trent Bridge in Nottingham. The concept of hosting this landmark Test match emerged after the end of Robert Mugabe's rule in Zimbabwe and subsequent administrative reforms within Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC). In recent years, English County clubs proposed the revival of bilateral relations with Zimbabwe, prompting discussions between the cricket boards of both nations, which ultimately led to the agreement to hold a one-off Test match. ZC Chairperson Tavengwa Mukuhlani even called Zimbabwe's inaugural tour to England a historic and significant event. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Has Honda Done It Again? The New Honda CR-V is Finally Here. TheFactualist Undo The upcoming one-off Test presents Zimbabwe with an opportunity to highlight their active year in the longest format of the game. They recently pulled off a major upset by beating Bangladesh in Sylhet last month, levelling the series 1-1. Although they lost the warm-up match, their victory over Bangladesh has boosted their confidence, and they'll be heading into the Test against England with momentum, hoping to replicate their success. For the Ben Stokes-led team, the upcoming one-off Test against Zimbabwe will serve as valuable preparation for their five-match Test series against India scheduled for next month. Live Events The hosts will be looking to regain momentum after a 2-1 series loss to Pakistan ,followed by a 2-1 victory over New Zealand in their most recent Test campaigns, as they aim to uphold their dominance on home soil. However, ahead of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, they suffered a setback with young talent Jordan Cox ruled out due to injury. In response, the selectors brought in James Rewin as his replacement. When is the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test scheduled to begin? The England vs Zimbabwe Only Test is set to commence on May 22. Where is the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test 2025 taking place? The one-off Test between England and Zimbabwe will be played at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in Nottingham. Which TV channels will air the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test in India? The England vs Zimbabwe Only Test will be broadcast in India on the Sony Sports Network. How can I watch the live streaming of the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test 2025? In India, the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test 2025 will be available for live streaming on the Sony Liv app. England vs Zimbabwe full squads England : Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, James Rew, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue Zimbabwe : Craig Ervine (c), Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Tanaka Chivanga, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Victor Nyauchi, Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams
News18
21-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
England Vs Zimbabwe 2025, Only Test: Schedule, Live Streaming, Full Squads And More
Last Updated: ENG Vs ZIM 2025: England are hosting Zimbabwe for a four-day Test set to get underway from May 22 in Nottingham. England are set to break their 22-year-long bilateral cricket hiatus against Zimbabwe with a historic Test match. Having not played their Zimbabwean counterparts in any bilateral series since 2003 because of off-field reasons, England are finally resuming ties with a four-day Test match scheduled between the two countries at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in Nottingham. The historic Test had been in discussions within the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) since the end of the Robert Mugabe regime in the African nation and administrative changes in Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC). The move towards normalising cricket relations was initiated with various English county clubs touring Zimbabwe in recent years, before the two countries' cricket boards sat together and announced a standalone Test. ZC chairperson Tavengwa Mukuhlani even described Zimbabwe's first trip toEnglandas a momentous occasion. The Test offers Zimbabwe an opportunity to give a befitting account of themselves in what is a rare busy year for them playing the traditional format. The Chevrons pulled off a fantastic win in Sylhet versus Bangladesh last month and levelled the two-match series 1-1. A loss in their only warm-up game wouldn't have helped, but Zimbabwe can take confidence from their showing versus the Bangla Tigers to English shores. For England, the Zimbabwe Test presents a chance to flex their muscles and fine-tune their preparation for the marquee five-match Test series against India later in the summer. Stokes' men would look to shed their inconsistent ways of the winter, where they lost 1-2 in Pakistan before coming up with a 2-1 series win against New Zealand and firm up their dominance on home turf. Heading into the Test, England suffered a blow with an injury to youngster Jordan Cox. The selectors have called up Somerset batter James Rewin to the squad. The England vs Zimbabwe Only Test will start from May 22. Where will the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test 2025 be held? The standalone Test between England and Zimbabwe will be held at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in Nottingham. Which TV channels will broadcast the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test in India? The England vs Zimbabwe Only Test will be televised in India on the Sony Sports Network. How do I watch the live streaming of the England vs Zimbabwe Only Test 2025? The England vs Zimbabwe Only Test2025 will be streamed live on the Sony Liv app in India. England vs Zimbabwe Full Squads Zimbabwe: Craig Ervine (c), Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Tanaka Chivanga, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Victor Nyauchi, Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams First Published:
Forbes
14-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Working Group To Look Into Cricket's Formats As Support For T10 Status Fades
The recent Australia and India Test series proved a windfall (Photo by) A working group is set to be established and tasked with addressing pressing issues over cricket's three formats, including a radical plan to split Test nations into two divisions. The taskforce, which is expected to comprise administrators from the Chief Executives' Committee, will also look into whether T10 - an emerging 90-minute game - should be made into an official format for international cricket. Despite some influential support from several board directors, there is limited support to add a fourth format in the near future it is learnt. There will be more immediate focus for the working group on Test cricket. In-game bonus points, extra points for away wins and a shot clock to manage over rates are expected to be ratified shortly with the new cycle of the World Test Championship to start in June. A lot of attention will be on Test's future and whether the traditional format will undergo a major shake-up and split into two divisions. Australia and England, two of cricket's most powerful and richest countries, have been advocates and keen to persuade all-mighty India. The Ashes could be played more often (Photo by) Apart from details in a report in The Age newspaper in January, details have been murky with the plan believed to not have been formally presented to the all-powerful International Cricket Council board. Discussions have so far been informal with much to be ironed out. The exact split between the 12 Test nations - 7-5 or 6-6 - as well as whether promotion and relegation would be part of the system are to be determined. Promotion and relegation has been a contentious topic previously. The 'big three' countries of India, Australia and England have been reticent given that slipping into the lower bracket would scupper their money-making plans, with the trio wanting to play each other more often given the financial incentives. Under the plan, Australia and England could play two Ashes series every three years instead of four years currently. Promotion and relegation along with how the funds will be distributed loom as sticking points. 'If it's (the plan) on the promotion and relegation basis it will get some backing,' ICC board director and Zimbabwe chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani told me. 'If it doesn't have that then two divisions is useless. There's no point and no context. We would not support that. 'The funds from the top division need to be shared properly.' The 50-over format has long been under the spotlight due to the emergence and growing popularity of T20 cricket over the past two decades. But given that the World Cup remains a marquee event and money-spinner, ODI cricket's status is secure although tweaks are expected. The scrapping of two new balls in ODIs is expected, while a handful of boards are pushing for the revival of the scrapped 13-team ODI Super League. T10 competitions have been sprouting around the world in recent years, traversing far-flung locations from the Cayman Islands to Melbourne, which is hosting an ongoing 11-day tournament that has been approved by Cricket Australia. T10 cricket has thrived in the United Arab Emirates (Photo by) It has influential support, with some proponents believing it could be a more viable long-term Olympic option for cricket than T20, which will be played at Los Angeles in six-team men's and women's competitions. There are those who believe that T10, perhaps played with six per side, could be a second cricket Olympic discipline much like 3x3 - three per side over 10 minutes - is for basketball, a rival that vies with cricket for the title of world's second biggest sport. But there does not appear enough widespread support on the ICC board for T10 cricket to hold official international status, which is a requirement for the Olympics. For the foreseeable future, international cricket will consist of Tests, ODIs and T20s albeit the formats may undergo some change.
