Match prediction for Zimbabwe vs South Africa 1st Test in Bulawayo.
Zimbabwe (ZIM) are set to host the recently crowned world champions, South Africa (SA), in a two-match Test series, starting June 28. The first Test will take place at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Each day’s action is scheduled to begin at 1:30 PM IST.
Check out our analysis for the ZIM vs SA match with the top betting tips and predictions.
Here are some of the best bets for this Zimbabwe vs South Africa 1st Test match.
Dewald Brevis is in the form of his life, piling on runs across the formats and conditions over the past few months. Brevis amassed 573 runs from eight games in the domestic FC competition this year, averaging 47.75 at a strike rate of 88. He hammered two centuries and as many half-centuries in the tournament. Check 1xBet App for popular bets and offers.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius is a young prodigy from the Rainbow Nation and has been in great form. He has played seven First Class matches, scoring 485 runs at an average of 60.65. He has smashed three centuries in the red-ball format. Check Parimatch App for popular bets and offers.
Blessing Muzarabani is the best bowler on the Zimbabwe side. He has taken 39 wickets in the last eight Tests at a strike rate of 41.9. The speedster took the most (three) wickets for his side against England recently. Muzarabani was the star in their victory over Bangladesh in April, picking nine wickets in the match. Check Stake App for popular bets and offers.
The Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo usually offers good pitches for batting in the longer format. The bowlers should get some assistance with the new ball. The average first innings score at the venue reads 310, while the number shoots up to 396 in the second innings.
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Zimbabwe and South Africa have played against each other in nine Tests to date. South Africa have never lost to Zimbabwe, winning eight of these games, with one ending in a draw. The last time these two teams faced off was in 2017, when the Proteas won by an innings and 120 runs.
Zimbabwe will be eager to make an impression against the world champions in this two-match series at home. They toured Bangladesh in April, where they won a match and managed to draw the series. Last month, they played a one-off Test against a full-strength England side in Nottingham. Zimbabwe suffered a defeat by an innings but gained some experience.
The Craig Ervine-led side has made a few changes to their squad that faced England. Ben Curran is out with a finger fracture, while Richard Ngarava is sidelined with a lower back injury. Takudzwanashe Kaitano is likely to open the innings alongside Brian Bennett. Blessing Muzarabani will lead the bowling attack.
Possible XI: Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Brian Bennett, Craig Ervine (c), Sean Williams, Nick Welch, Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Tanaka Chivanga, Trevor Gwandu.
The Proteas are coming fresh off a historic World Test Championship triumph, where they beat Australia in the final at Lord’s. Most of the players from that squad are not on this tour, with South Africa opting to give opportunities to fresh faces. Keshav Maharaj will lead the side in the absence of Temba Bavuma who is nursing a hamstring strain.
The Proteas have announced the playing XI. Tony de Zorzi will open the innings with Matthew Breetzke, while Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis could slot into the middle order. The bowling attack comprises Kwena Maphaka, Keshav Maharaj, Corbin Bosch, and Codi Yusuf.
Possible XI: Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Wiaan Mulder, Dewald Brevis, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj (c), Codi Yusuf, Kwena Maphaka.
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148/7
CAM-W
34/10
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Check out the details of where to watch the Zimbabwe vs South Africa match.
Most teams look to bat first in the longer format. But the team batting second has won 12 games here as opposed to only six wins by the team batting first. Expect the captain winning the toss to opt to bowl first in this game.
Take a look at the weather forecast, key matchup, and favourites to get a better idea of the match.
The weather in Bulawayo is expected to be sunny and breezy throughout the five days of the Test. Rain is unlikely to play any role in the match. The humidity levels could be at around 45%, with wind gusts travelling at up to 50 kmph. As for the temperature, it should range between 18 to 23 degrees Celsius.
South Africa will head into this game as heavy favourites despite not having a full-strength side. The bookmakers have given them a 92% chance of winning.
Sean Williams is the best batter in the Zimbabwe line-up. South Africa are without their frontline pace attack, which makes Keshav Maharaj a key figure in this game. His battle against Williams could be interesting.
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