England are set to welcome Zimbabwe for a historic one-off Test scheduled at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham from May 22, marking their first red-ball clash since 2003. This four-day match, the first encounter between the sides since the 2007 T20 World Cup, kicks off England’s packed home summer, which includes a five-Test series against India.
England’s squad includes new names in the bowling line-up after James Anderson and Stuart Broad’s retirement. Essex pacer Sam Cook, who has bagged 321 first-class wickets at an average of 19.85, has been given a chance. The pace-bowling unit also features Gus Atkinson with 11 Test caps and returning Josh Tongue. Captain Ben Stokes has recovered from a hamstring injury and will be making his comeback.
The batting unit is stacked with Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Harry Brook. Jamie Smith will handle wicket-keeping. Shoaib Bashir is the lone spinner selected.
Led by Craig Ervine, Zimbabwe aim to make a statement in their first bilateral series against England after more than two decades. With a record 11 Tests scheduled in 2025, they are pushing to reestablish themselves in the format.
Despite a 138-run loss in a warm-up against Professional County Club Select XI, their recent drawn Test series versus Bangladesh, including a historic three-wicket win, shows that they are capable to pull off surprises.
England vs Zimbabwe: Where to Watch Live
MATCH | DETAILS |
|---|---|
DATE | 22/05/2025 |
TIME | 3:30 PM IST |
VENUE | Trent Bridge, Nottingham |
BROADCAST | Sony Sports Network |
STREAMING OTT | Sony LIV & FanCode |
England vs Zimbabwe Pitch Report: Trent Bridge, Nottingham
The pitch at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham is expected to be a batting-friendly surface with a dry, flat wicket promising good carry and plenty of runs. However, early assistance for pacers could suit both teams’ seamers, who can exploit the conditions with the new ball. As the pitch will only deteriorate with the progression of the match, teams would like to bat first.
Also read: ENG vs ZIM Match Preview & Where to Watch Live? Zimbabwe Tour of England 2025, One-Off Test
England vs Zimbabwe: Predicted Playing XIs
ENG: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Sam Cook, Shoaib Bashir
ZIM: Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Nick Welch, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine (c), Sikandar Raza, Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani
England vs Zimbabwe: Dream11 Top 5 Players
England | Zimbabwe |
Jamie Smith | Craig Ervine |
Harry Brook | Sean Williams |
Ben Duckett | Sikandar Raza |
Joe Root | Blessing Muzarabani |
Gus Atkinson | Brian Bennett |
England vs Zimbabwe: Dream11 Fantasy Team
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