Zimbabwe T20I skipper Sikandar Raza has filed a proper complaint with the Harare Metropolitan Cricket Association (HMCA) against local coach Blessing Mafuwa for racially abusing him on June 1 during a domestic Vigne Cup game. The incident reportedly took place at Old Hararians Sports Club, where Raza was playing for Old Harrians against Rainbow Cricket Club.

The incident occurred while he was leaving the field following his batting innings, Raza told the paper. Though he did not name the coach in his complaint, HMCA chairperson Tafadzwa Madoro assured ESPNcricinfo that the suspect was Rainbow's coach, Blessing Mafuwa.

"We were informed of racial abuse that our T20 captain [Raza] endured last week," said Madoro. "We are investigating. Blessing Mafuwa will face a hearing next Tuesday. In the meantime, he is suspended from all activities in the HMCA." The HMCA has made it unequivocally clear that it will not stand for any kind of racial abuse. Madoro ensured that the issue was being treated with the highest seriousness and urgency.

ALSO SEE: WATCH: Angkrish Raghuvanshi refers Shreyas Iyer as 'Sarpanch Saab' in T20 Mumbai League

Raza Demands Accountability After Alleged Racist Abuse Amid Stellar Run of Form

Raza, who is one of the best and most outspoken cricketers from Zimbabwe, was disappointed at what had happened and called for a proper probe. “If found guilty, an example should be made out of him so that stuff like this never happens again to this and future generations,” he said. Despite the row, Raza played one of his best games, scoring 78 off 56 balls to assist Old Hararians in piling up a huge 402 for 9 in 50 overs. Rainbow Cricket Club replied with 225 for 8 in 39 overs before rain interrupted the play. Old Hararians won by 142 runs through the DLS system.

Raza's current form has been nothing less than incredible. He has already won two franchise T20 titles in 2025, first the ILT20 and more recently the Pakistan Super League, where he hit the winning runs for Lahore Qalandars in a thrilling final. While the cricket world praised Raza's playing heroics, the off-field controversy has once again brought into focus long-existing racism issues in sport. In anticipation of its next disciplinary hearing, everyone will be watching to see how the association meets this delicate and serious situation.

ENG- 565/6

ZIM-265 & 30/2 (10) (f/o)

Zimbabwe started Day 2 of the one-off Test match at Trent Bridge well enough under a sunny sky. Blessing Muzarabani led the pace attack, focused on bowling much closer to England batters' body line. The host nation started the day with 7 wickets in hand and 498 on the scoreboard, and Ollie Pope was on the wicket with an unbeaten 169 and departed for 171 during the early hours of Day 2. Tanaka Chivanga cleared his wicket for Zimbabwe.

Harry Brook with his counter-attacking batting style was looking promising, supported by captain Ben Stokes at the non striking end. Later, they both fell short against Muzarabani. As soon as Brook departed for individual 58, England declared their innings. 

Read More: [WATCH] IPL 2025: Virat Kohli’s strategic input leads to Heinrich Klassen’s wicket on next ball in RCB vs SRH game

Zimbabwe started their innings in a promising way with Brian Bennett at his peak. After a 31-run opening wicket partnership with Ben Curran, Zimbabwe Craig Ervine received a well-rehearsed 42-run innings. The visitors displayed their skills well until experienced batter Sean Williams was bowled out by England's Shoaib Bashir for 25.

A young who showed his class vs England

On a day when seamers were boosted up with swing and bounce from the surface, Bashir shifted the momentum of the match completely with his off-break deliveries. He took 3 wickets when Zimbabwe was looking to settle down on 22 yards. Though the young, talented opener Bennett continued to fight solitary for his team.

Stumps at Trent Bridge 🏏

It's advantage England as Zimbabwe finish on 265 & 30/2 (following on), trailing by 270 runs

Match Details 👉 https://t.co/cojkDo7BCj#ENGvZIM #ExperienceZimbabwe pic.twitter.com/1rFPD3XDXg

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) May 23, 2025

The 21-year-old batter bagged 139 off 143 with the help of 26 boundaries. His straight bat cover drives and straight drives were some of the delightful sights of the day for the spectators present at Trent Bridge. But only a century was not enough to climb a mountain-like target. Zimbabwe bundled for 265 in the first innings as the reply of 576.

Zimbabwe is currently up against England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Where England declared their innings for 565/6 in the first session of Day 2. Zimbabwe, after a nightmare in bowling, came to bat with two openers, Brian Bennett and Ben Curran.

Contrary to Team England, Zimbabwe's first XI is mainly studded with underrated players of international cricket, but for Ben, the thing is different.

The Curran family has a legacy of playing cricket. Tom Curran and Sam Curran already are two well-known faces in the international cricket circuit, especially Sam, who made headlines with his all-around abilities in the past. Ben Curren, the opener for the Zimbabwe Test side, is the brother of England's Tom Curran and Sam Curran. While Tom and Sam have played for England, Ben chose a different path and donned the Zimbabwe cricket team jersey. But why?

Read More: After Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, another cricket legend bids farewell to Test cricket

Actually, Kevin Curran, father of Sam, Tom, and Ben, played for Zimbabwe in 1983 and 1987 and played in 11 ODIs. Later, he traveled to England and joined the county team Northamptonshire, where he played between 1991 and 1999. So, his three sons have a natural attachment to both nations.

Why Ben chose to play for Zimbabwe?

Ben never got the hype like his two brothers, so he assessed early that with the level of performance he had in the early days, he was not going to the England national team. So he chose to represent Zimbabwe.

"I didn't have the immediate success my brothers did. It took me until I was a couple of years out of school to get myself the opportunity to play on a professional level, but everyone's got their own path. It doesn't really happen that quickly for a lot of people. If I take myself out of it, I know that if they weren't my brothers, we wouldn't be having the same conversation. There's no timeline on anything, and especially not in a professional sport," Ben said in a conversation. 

Raining runs under an overcast condition in Trent Bridge, Nottingham, during the England vs. Zimbabwe one-off Test match. Over the duration of a couple of decades, Zimbabwe landed in England to face the home team. On day 1, it was the English batters who were ruling the game from the very first ball of the session. With a solid opening wicket partnership and a total of three centuries in the first day of the match, the host nation put 498 runs in a single day in exchange for only 3 wickets, which shook up multiple Test records of all time. 

List of records disrupted by England batters on Day 1 vs Zimbabwe

• 498/3 itself a record. In a single day of a Test match, it is the fourth overall and second highest for England cricket. In Rawalpindi, 2022, England scored their highest run in a day, which is 506/4, and in England, the home team previously scored 503/2 against South Africa on the second day of the Lord's Test in 1924. 
• The opening pair of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley set an all-time record-breaking partnership of 231, which is the third highest opening stand for England, just behind Geoff Pullar and Colin Cowdrey's 290 against South Africa in 1960 and 268 by Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe against South Africa at Lord's in 1924. 
• A couple of double-century opening partnerships for the Duckett-Crawley duo. Before Zimbabwe, it was Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2022 who faced a 233-run opening partnership from these two batters. 

Read More: ENG vs ZIM: Day 1 Recap – Key performances and major Highlights from One-Off Test

• It was a rare event when both the opening batters scored centuries in the same innings. In 1990 against India in Manchester, it was the last time when both England openers scored tons in the same innings. 
• It was the fourth occurrence when all three of England's top three batters in the lineup scored three digits in a single inning. The first and only prior occurrence in a home Test took place against South Africa at Lord's in 1924. 
• Joe Root added another record to his personal account. He scored the 13,000th Test run of his career, the fifth cricketer ever to achieve the feat. 

After 22 years, Zimbabwe is up against England (England vs Zimbabwe)in England for a one-off Test match. The match at the Trent Bridge, Nottingham, perhaps has some historical significance but was too hard for Zimbabwe bowlers. England batters were on top of their game, with three centuries on the board already after the end of day 1. Unlike a regular 5-day Test match, a one-off Test contains only 4 days. 

Summary of Day 1

Session 1

The match started under an overcast condition with lots of bounce in the wicket and Zimbabwe with 6'8" Blessing. Muzaraban I started the things off in a promising way. Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine used all of their pace bowlers in the very first session of the day. Except for a few close shouts from the bowling side, England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett were scoring runs flawlessly. Without losing any wicket in the session, England reached the 130 mark.

Session 2

Ervine chose to shake things up with a fresh strategy by introducing Sikandar Raza, a spinner. Surprisingly, despite a pace-friendly condition in Trent Bridge, spinners started to get some help, mostly with the extra bounce on the surface. Zimbabwe fast bowlers were struggling to maintain line and length, often going outside off, which helped the England opening pair to score more easily. Duckett departed after 140; Wesley Madhevere took the wicket. England was on 295 for 1 with Crawley and Ollie Pope on the crease. 

Read More: List of players to score 13000 runs in Test cricket

Season 3

The session started off with the ton of Crawley and aggressive batting approach from Pope. After a 137-run partnership between these two batters, Crawley lost his wicket for 124 after an LBW shout from Raza. Joe Root, in his 34-run innings, escaped a run-out and then completed his 13,000 runs in Test cricket. He tried to pull the ball for a big hit but was caught just before the boundary line; Muzarabani got his first Test wicket. The day ended with 498/3 on the scoreboard. Pope, with 169*, and Harry Brook, with 9*, will start day 2 for England. 

We finish Day 1 just shy of 5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ runs 😍

A brilliant day with the bat 🏏 pic.twitter.com/gKX75CkM2r

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 22, 2025

The England Cricket Board has announced their squad for their upcoming one-off Test against Zimbabwe later this month (May 22 - May 25), which will mark the beginning of summer for England.

The match against Zimbabwe will be a perfect stage for the England cricket team to mend their dilapidated bowling lineup affected by multiple injury crises. Their number 1 pacer, Chris Wokes, is yet to recover from his injury, which made Gus Atkinson an automatic choice to deliver the new ball.

Captain Ben Stokes, named in the squad, will play his first match after recovering from a hamstring injury. The inclusion of Sam Cook and Jordan Cox has made the English squad more attractive.

Read More: Was MI vs RR match fixed? Here’s the full truth behind Rohit Sharma’s LBW controversy

A prolific wicket-taker and a run machine into the squad 

Sam Cook, the Essex pacer, had a dream run in county cricket with a truckload of wickets. He claimed 318 first-class wickets with an impressive average of 19.77. Previously, the 27-year-old bowler clearly said playing Test for England is his number 1 choice. He had multiple lucrative offers from different franchise clubs, but he chose to stick with his aim, which is playing for England. He even decided to play for England Lions against Australia in January 2025 rather than joining any franchise for money, where he took 13 scalps in 3 matches. The inclusion of Cook in the squad showed how the ECB closely monitors their players. 

On the other hand, the inclusion of Jordan Cox bolsters the England Test side's batting depth and strength. The wicketkeeper-batter has been among the top run-scorers at the County Championship this season. He bagged 918 runs from 11 matches, including four centuries and two half-centuries.

England squad for one-off Test against Zimbabwe

Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.

The Zimbabwe Women's cricket team is on a historic tour of the United States of America, with the two countries playing their first-ever bilateral series. The thrilling tour from April 25 to May 3, 2025, features three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) and two One Day Internationals (ODIs), providing an exciting chance for fans in North America to watch international women's cricket.

ALSO SEE: Kalahari Women’s T20I 2025 – Live Streaming Details & where to watch

Zimbabwe Women's Tour of USA 2025: Full Schedule

T20I Series

• 1st T20I: April 25, 2025 – Zimbabwe Women won by 28 runs
• 2nd T20I: April 27, 2025 – Scheduled for today, and will be held shortly
• 3rd T20I: April 29, 2025

ODI Series

• 1st ODI: May 1, 2025
• 2nd ODI: May 3, 2025

All the matches are being held at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Recent Match Results 

1st T20I

In the 1st T20I, played on April 25, 2025, the Zimbabwe Women won a 28-run match against the USA Women. The strong batting of Zimbabwe, led by seasoned players such as Josephine Nkomo, and good bowling ensured that they secured an important 1-0 lead in the series.

2nd T20I (27th April, 2025)

The 2nd T20I will be played today, April 27, 2025, and will be a short while away. Both sides will seek to dominate this match as they head into the remaining games in the series. The 2nd T20I will be a crucial match, determining who has the advantage going into the third T20I to be played on April 29.

Zimbabwe Women's Tour of USA 2025: Key Players to Watch out for

Both sides have some top players who will be instrumental in determining the series. Here are the key players to watch out for:

Zimbabwe Women

Josephine Nkomo: A talented all-rounder with immense experience, Josephine Nkomo will play a vital role for Zimbabwe in both the batting and bowling departments.

Modester Mupachikwa: A talented wicketkeeper and batter, Modester Mupachikwa is renowned for her capability to anchor the innings and her excellent reflexes at the stumps. She is one of the most important Zimbabwean players in the middle order.

USA Women

Aditiba Chudasama (Captain): Aditiba Chudasama, the USA Women's team captain, is a seasoned all-rounder with known tact. Chudasama will play a pivotal role in guiding her team and being balanced through her performances with bat and ball.

Chetna Pagydyala: One of the USA's most explosive hitters, Chetna Pagydyala can flip a game around within a few overs. Her attacking nature of play and her capability to speed up the scoring will play a key role in the success of the USA Women's team in the series.

The Zimbabwe Women's tour of USA 2025 will provide competitive cricket, thrilling performances, and new rivalries. Both sides are ready for a series that will shape their trajectories towards future global tournaments.

From April 25 to May 3, 2025, the Zimbabwe Women’s cricket team will begin an important tour of the United States. The tour consists of three T20 Internationals (T20Is) and two One Day Internationals (ODIs), and it allows both teams to prepare for their global qualifying tournaments. This tour is historic for both sides. It establishes another milestone in Zimbabwe women’s cricket journey and gives both teams meaningful international exposure as they prepare for a major event on the global stage.
For Zimbabwe, it offers them a chance to build momentum and, more importantly, continue their development. For the USA Women’s team, it is an opportunity to showcase how cricket is rapidly developing in America. Hosting a series of this magnitude is a testament to the growth of the sport in America and shows that the players are getting valuable experience against a competitive side. Both teams are eager to leave a strong impression and further their ambitions on the global cricketing map. 

Zimbabwe Women's Squad for USA Tour 2025

• Captain: Josephine Nkomo
• Wicketkeepers: Chiedza Dhururu, Modester Mupachikwa

Squad Members:
Beloved Biza, Francisca Chipare, Lindokuhle Mabhero, Tendai Makusha, Precious Marange, Natasha Mtomba, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Kelis Ndhlovu, Runyararo Pasipanodya, Nomvelo Sibanda, Loreen Tshuma, Adel Zimunu

Non-traveling Reserves:
Nyasha Gwanzura, Kelly Ndiraya

Zimbabwe Women's squad has a blend of experience and youngsters. Skipper Josephine Captain Josephine Nkomo leads an exciting squad with experienced hands like Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano and young guns like Kelis Ndhlovu.

See Also: [WATCH] IPL2025: Prabhsimran Singh switch hit against Sunil Narine in KKR vs PBKS match

USA Women's Squad for Zimbabwe Tour 2025

• Captain: Aditiba Chudasama
• Vice-Captain: Chetna Pagydyala
• Wicketkeepers: Pooja Ganesh, Mitali Patwardhan

Squad Members:
Jivana Aras, Gargi Bhogle, Disha Dhingra, Saanvi Immadi, Chetnaa Prasad, Geetika Kodali, Maahi Madhavan, Bhakti Shastri, Ritu Singh, Isani Vaghela

T20I Reserves:
Jessica Willathgamuwa, Lekha Shetty, Pooja Shah

ODI Reserves:
Gargi Bhogle, Jivana Aras, Sai Tanmayi Eyyunni

The USA Women's cricket team is full of young talent, and this tour will be a big test for their new leadership under Aditiba Chudasama.

Match Preview: Zimbabwe Women vs USA Women 2025

Zimbabwe comes into the series as favorites, having played against international teams of high caliber before. But the USA Women will be at home and have a young team eager to win.

Key contests will include:

• Zimbabwe’s bowling attack vs USA’s aggressive batters
• Middle-order strength and finishing ability under pressure

Key Players to Watch

Zimbabwe Women

Josephine Nkomo: A seasoned all-rounder who will lead from the front.

Kelis Ndhlovu: A Promising young player famous for her quick spin bowling and fast scoring.

USA Women

Geetika Kodali: USA's star fast bowler and main new-ball operator.

Pooja Ganesh: Powerful wicketkeeper-batter with match-winning abilities.

The Zimbabwe Women's tour of the USA 2025 has already treated us to hard cricket, and the best is yet to come. With the 2nd T20I lined up today, all eyes will be on whether Zimbabwe can extend their lead or if the USA can bounce back in Texas.

Zimbabwe Women Cricket Team is presently in the United States of America to play a thrilling cricket series of 2025. The series consists of three T20I and two ODI matches to be played at the world-renowned Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

From April 25 to May 3, 2025, this series is a milestone event for women's cricket and has much to offer worldwide fans through some thrilling action.

ALSO SEE:  IPL 2025: Why are Moeen Ali and Ramandeep Singh not playing in today KKR vs PBKS match?

Where & How to Watch Zimbabwe Women Tour of USA, 2025

In India

Cricket fans in India can stream the Zimbabwe Women vs USA Women matches live on FanCode. 

FanCode offers:

• HD live match streaming
• Live scores and match updates
• Match highlights and post-match analysis

How to Access:

• Download the FanCode app (available on Android and iOS)
• Visit the official website: FanCode.com

Note: A subscription may be required for full live match access.

Telecast:

• The series will not be broadcast on any TV channels in India.
• Only online streaming via FanCode is available.

In the United States

For viewers in the United States:

• All matches of the series will be telecast live on Willow TV.
• Fans can also watch matches live at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.

Series Overview

• Zimbabwe Women won the 1st T20I by 28 runs against USA Women.
• Beloved Biza delivered a stellar performance, scoring 33 runs and taking 3 wickets, earning the Player of the Match award.

Both sides are employing this series as crucial preparation for future global qualifying tournaments and to promote the development of women's cricket in their nations.

Other Ways to Follow the Series

Besides live streaming, fans can also get ball-by-ball commentary, live scores, and match updates from:

• ESPNcricinfo
• Cricket World

These platforms offer detailed match previews, live coverage, and post-match reports.

ALSO SEE: IPL 2025: Why only one match is scheduled on 26 April?

Zimbabwe has reached Chittagong to play their second match against Bangladesh after a historic win in the first Test match. The 2-match Test series becomes more interesting under wet conditions for some standout bowling performances from both ends. Batters tried their best and produced multiple handsome-looking innings. Cricket fans can expect some more intense days when both teams step onto the field. 

The second Test encounter will be arranged at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong, from April 28. The match is scheduled to start at 9.30 AM (IST), and the captains of both teams will meet for the toss half an hour before the match starts (9.00 AM). 

Bangladesh 

Batters

Mominul Haque: The experienced batter at the number 3 position has the potential to play a long innings. Zimbabwe bowlers may look to dismiss him as early as possible. He claimed 56 and 47 in the first Test match. 

Read More: Zimbabwe tour of Bangladesh, 2025: Full squad of both teams

Najmul Hossain Shanto: The Bangladesh skipper was on song in Sylhet. Played 40 and 60 innings consecutively in the first Test match. 

Bowlers

Mehidy Hasan Miraz: Took a total of 10 wickets, 5 in each innings, against Zimbabwe in the first innings. Bangladesh cricket fans can expect more from the bowler. Miraz again can be a serious threat for the visiting side. 

Nahid Rana: The tall, lanky 22-year-old pacer was impressive in the first innings, taking 3 scalps. It will be interesting to see how he deliberates under pressure. 

Zimbabwe 

Batters

Brian Bennett: 21-year-old Brain Bennett, solid in the previous match, scored 57 and 54 in the first and second innings, respectively. 

Sean Williams: The experienced middle-order batter can be a hurdle for Bangladeshi bowlers to cross. In the first innings of the 1st Test match, the left-handed batter scored an important 59-run knock. 

Bowlers

Blessing Muzarabani, the right-arm pacer, took 9 wickets and was the main man for Zimbabwe to outclass Bangladesh. According to the weather forecast, heavy conditions are expected in Chittagong, where Muzarabani can be more effective. 

Wellington Masakadza: The 31-year-old all-rounder can turn out to be a match winner. Masakadza has a huge involvement in Zimbabwe's historical win over Bangladesh in the first Test match of the series. He took a total of 5 wickets in the match and scored an important unbeaten 19-run knock to secure the infamous win under pressure.