Australia tour Zimbabwe from September 15 to 20, 2026, for a three-match ODI series at the Harare Sports Club.
It’s their first ODI visit to Zimbabwe in over a decade, and it matters for both sides: this is World Cup preparation territory, with the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup set to be co-hosted by Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia.
Australia arrive as defending champions. Zimbabwe arrive with receipts, having beaten Australia at the 2026 T20 World Cup and in their last ODI meeting in 2022.
Australia Tour of Zimbabwe 2026: Full Schedule and Match Timings
All three ODIs are at Harare Sports Club. The schedule is tight and clean: three matches across six days, with every game starting at the same time.
Here’s the full fixture list with timings across key regions.
| Match | Date | Venue | Local Time | IST | AEST | GMT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | September 15, 2026 (Tuesday) | Harare Sports Club, Harare | 9:30 AM | 1:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 7:30 AM |
| 2nd ODI | September 18, 2026 (Friday) | Harare Sports Club, Harare | 9:30 AM | 1:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 7:30 AM |
| 3rd ODI | September 20, 2026 (Sunday) | Harare Sports Club, Harare | 9:30 AM | 1:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 7:30 AM |
ZIM vs AUS 2026: Full Squads for the ODI Series
Both teams named settled 15-player squads, though Zimbabwe has a couple of notable absences. Here’s the full picture.
Australia ODI Squad for Zimbabwe Series 2026
Captain: Mitchell Marsh
| Player | Role | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Marsh (c) | Batting Allrounder | Captain; returns after missing Pakistan/Bangladesh series |
| Travis Head | Opening Batter | Returns after rest; key powerplay threat |
| Matthew Renshaw | Opening Batter | Middle-order option; pushing for regular spot |
| Oliver Peake | Batter | U19 World Cup standout; Zimbabwe leg only |
| Alex Carey | Wicketkeeper-Batter | First-choice keeper |
| Josh Inglis | Wicketkeeper-Batter | 969 ODI runs, closing in on 1,000 |
| Cameron Green | Allrounder | 946 ODI runs; handy top-order option |
| Cooper Connolly | Allrounder | Hit 149 vs Bangladesh; back complaint monitored |
| Joel Davies | Allrounder | Impressive on recent tours; Zimbabwe leg only |
| Josh Hazlewood | Fast Bowler | Experience leader in pace attack |
| Adam Zampa | Leg-Spinner | 198 ODI wickets; two away from 200 |
| Nathan Ellis | Fast Bowler | Death-overs specialist |
| Xavier Bartlett | Fast Bowler | Pace option competing for WC spot |
| Spencer Johnson | Fast Bowler | First ODI since early 2025; back from injury |
| Billy Stanlake | Fast Bowler | First international appearance in seven years |
Notable absentees: Pat Cummins (rested, joins for South Africa leg), Mitchell Starc (rested, joins for South Africa leg), Marnus Labuschagne (dropped after lean run across formats).
Zimbabwe ODI Squad for Australia Series 2026
Captain: Sikandar Raza (stand-in; regular captain Richard Ngarava is out with a lower-back injury)
| Player | Role | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sikandar Raza (c) | Batting Allrounder | Stand-in captain; one of four players 40+ in this squad |
| Brian Bennett | Opening Batter | Zimbabwe’s most consistent young run-scorer across formats |
| Ben Curran | Batter | Top-order anchor |
| Innocent Kaia | Batter | Top-order option |
| Craig Ervine | Batter | Senior campaigner; 40+ by end of series |
| Brendan Taylor (wk option) | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Returns to ODI setup after over a year’s absence |
| Tadiwanashe Marumani | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Alternative keeper option |
| Ryan Burl | Leg-Spin Allrounder | Took 5/10 vs Australia (Townsville, 2022); key threat |
| Wessly Madhevere | Batting Allrounder | Made 75 in his last ODI innings |
| Brad Evans | Pace Allrounder | Player of series vs Bangladesh (July 2026) |
| Blessing Muzarabani | Fast Bowler | Took 4/17 vs Australia at 2026 T20 World Cup; 203cm tall |
| Graeme Cremer | Leg-Spinner | Returns to ODI cricket after eight-year absence |
| Wellington Masakadza | Slow Left-Arm | Specialist spin option |
| Ernest Masuku | Medium Pace | Seam support in pace attack |
| Newman Nyamhuri | Left-Arm Fast | Young pace option |
Notable absentees: Richard Ngarava (lower-back injury), Tanaka Chivanga (Achilles tendon injury), Clive Madande (unavailable).
Zimbabwe vs Australia Head-to-Head Record in ODIs
Australia have dominated this fixture overall. But the recent results tell a different story.
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Total ODIs Played | 33 |
| Australia Wins | 29 |
| Zimbabwe Wins | 3 (2014 Harare, 2022 Townsville, and one earlier result) |
| No Result | 1 |
| Australia’s Highest Total vs Zimbabwe | 350/6 (Harare, 2014) |
| Zimbabwe’s Highest Total vs Australia | 301/6 (Perth, 2001) |
| Best Bowling by Zimbabwe vs Australia | Ryan Burl 5/10 (Townsville, 2022) |
| Last ODI Result | Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets (Townsville, Sep 2022) |
Last 5 ODI Meetings Between Zimbabwe and Australia
| Match | Winner | Margin | Key Performer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd ODI, Townsville, Sep 2022 | Zimbabwe | 3 wickets | Ryan Burl 5/10 |
| 2nd ODI, Townsville, Sep 2022 | Australia | 5 wickets | Adam Zampa (Player of Series) |
| 1st ODI, Townsville, Sep 2022 | Australia | 8 wickets | David Warner 164 runs (series) |
| 2nd ODI, Harare, Aug 2014 | Zimbabwe | 3 wickets | Zimbabwe ended 31-year wait for an AUS ODI win |
| 1st ODI, Harare, Aug 2014 | Australia | 198 runs | Mitchell Marsh (bat & ball) |
The momentum has shifted. Zimbabwe have beaten Australia in two of their last five ODI meetings. They also knocked Australia out of the 2026 T20 World Cup in February. Blessing Muzarabani took 4/17 in that T20 WC match, which helped Zimbabwe win by 23 runs in Colombo.
Harare Sports Club: Pitch Report and Venue Profile
All three ODIs happen at the Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe’s only home international ground. It’s hosted ODI cricket since 1992, and it’ll be a World Cup venue in 2027.
This year it also hosted the final of the Under-19 ODI World Cup (India beat England).
| Venue Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ground Capacity | 10,000 |
| Location | 3 Lanark Rd, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| In use since | 1992 (international cricket) |
| Boundary length | 64m (shortest), 69–70m (longest) |
| Average 1st innings score (ODIs) | 228–229 runs |
| Average 2nd innings score (ODIs) | 196–207 runs |
| Pace vs Spin wickets (recent ODIs) | Pace 71% / Spin 29% |
| Teams batting second win rate | Approx. 54% of matches |
| Australia’s record in Harare | 7 wins from 10 matches |
Pitch character: The Harare surface offers some early swing and movement, which helps seamers in the first 10 overs. After that, it tends to ease out and becomes good for batting. Spinners pick up roughly 29% of wickets here, so expect Adam Zampa to be central to Australia’s middle-over plans. Teams bowling first have won roughly 54% of matches, so the toss could matter.
Weather Forecast: September in Harare
September sits in Harare’s dry season. Conditions for all three matches are expected to be excellent.
| Condition | Expected Value |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 16°C (morning) to 28°C (afternoon) |
| Humidity | 18–42% |
| Rain probability | Near zero; no interruptions expected |
| Wind speed | Light easterly, 9–17 km/h |
| Sky | Clear to hazy sunshine throughout match hours |
So the conclusion about weather updates is, no weather concerns for any of the three games.
Key Players to Watch in the Australia Tour of Zimbabwe 2026
Here are the key players of both teams:
1. Australia
| Player | Role & Status | Key Details & Context |
|---|---|---|
| Travis Head | Opening Batter | Returns after being rested for the Pakistan and Bangladesh series. He is an explosive ODI opener focused on setting the tone in the powerplay with attacking intent. |
| Mitchell Marsh | Captain, Allrounder | One ODI appearance away from his 100th for Australia. He is the only current Aussie player with prior ODI experience in Zimbabwe, having scored 222 runs and taken 3 wickets across 5 matches in 2014. |
| Adam Zampa | Leg-Spinner | Sits on 198 ODI wickets, standing just two away from the 200-wicket milestone for Australia. He remains central to the bowling strategy for creating pressure in the middle overs despite pace-friendly Harare pitches. |
| Cooper Connolly | Batting Allrounder | Coming off a brilliant match-winning 149 against Bangladesh in Mirpur. His back complaint is being monitored, but selectors expect him to bowl as he fights for a spot in the 2027 World Cup squad. |
| Josh Inglis | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Sits on 969 ODI runs, needing 31 more to reach 1,000 for Australia. He competes with Carey in a two-keeper squad, adding internal pressure to make an impact from the middle order. |
2. Zimbabwe
| Player | Role & Status | Key Details & Context |
|---|---|---|
| Blessing Muzarabani | Fast Bowler | Tallest Zimbabwean cricketer (203cm) and primary bowling threat, coming off 42 Test wickets in 2025 and 100 T20I wickets. |
| Ryan Burl | Leg-Spin Allrounder | Famous for his 5/10 against Australia in 2022; poses a major threat on turning Harare tracks. |
| Sikandar Raza | Stand-in Captain, Batting Allrounder | 40-year-old leader utilizing off-breaks and anchoring the middle order in the absence of Ngarava. |
| Brian Bennett | Opening Batter | Consistent young talent who scored an unbeaten 64 in their recent T20 World Cup win against Australia. |
| Brad Evans | Pace Allrounder | Player of the series against Bangladesh in July 2026, contributing vital lower-middle-order runs and wickets. |
Australia vs Zimbabwe 2026: Recent Form Guide
Here’s how both sides have looked in the lead-up to this series .
| Team | Last 10 ODI Results (most recent first) | Last Series |
|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | W, L, W, W, L, L, W, L, W, L, L | 2-1 win vs Bangladesh (July 2026, Harare) |
| Australia | W, L, L, L, W, L, L, W, W, W | 2-1 loss vs Bangladesh; 2-1 loss vs Pakistan (2026) |
Australia’s recent ODI losses came against weakened or depleted squads. Both those defeats happened without Marsh, Head and Hazlewood. The squad here is closer to full strength. Still, Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh 2-1 with largely the same group, and that Bangladesh side beat Australia 2-1 just weeks earlier.
ZIM vs AUS 2026: Where to Watch Live Streaming and TV Broadcast
Coverage details for the Australia tour of Zimbabwe 2026 across major markets.
| Country / Region | TV Channel | Live Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| India | No TV broadcast confirmed | FanCode App & Website |
| Australia | Fox Cricket | Kayo Sports |
| Zimbabwe & Sub-Saharan Africa | SuperSport | SuperSport App / DStv Stream |
| United Kingdom | Check local listings | TNT Sports / Sky Sports Digital |
| USA & Canada | Willow TV | Willow by Cricbuzz / Willow TV |
Australia Tour of Zimbabwe 2026: Key Stats and Milestones to Watch
- Mitch Marsh is one ODI appearance away from 100 for Australia.
- Adam Zampa needs two more wickets to reach 200 ODI wickets, joining seven Australian greats to hit that mark.
- Josh Inglis sits on 969 ODI runs; 31 more puts him at 1,000.
- Cameron Green is on 946 ODI runs; also closing in on a four-figure tally.
- Ryan Burl’s 5/10 in Townsville (2022) remains the best bowling figures by any Zimbabwean against Australia in ODI history.
- Blessing Muzarabani became the third Zimbabwe bowler to take 100 T20I wickets, crossing that mark at the 2026 T20 World Cup.
- Mitchell Marsh is the only Australian in the current squad who has played an ODI in Zimbabwe, having done so in 2014.
- Australia’s record at Harare Sports Club: 7 wins from 10 ODIs played there.
Final Word: Australia’s Zimbabwe Tour Begins From 15th September 2026
This series is much more than a warm-up. Both sides have real reasons to take it seriously. Australia need to get their World Cup preparations right in conditions they’ll face again in 2027.
Zimbabwe are desperate to prove their T20 WC win over Australia wasn’t a fluke. The head-to-head record says Australia win.
The recent form says don’t be so sure. Three matches in Harare, starting September 15. Should be a good watch.
