Dates confirmed for Zim Tests

Tuesday, 14 January 2020 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka's cricket coach Mickey Arthur (right) walks as team players stretch during a practice session ahead of their second test match with Pakistan at the National Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan

17 December 2019 - Reuters

Sri Lanka will play two Test matches in Zimbabwe later this month, it has been confirmed, with the first Test set to get underway in Harare on 19 January.

A Sri Lanka Cricket media release revealed that both Tests will be played at the Harare Sports Club, with the Sri Lanka team set to fly out on 16 January.

Sri Lanka will be the first team to tour Zimbabwe since the ICC lifted its suspension of Zimbabwe Cricket in October 2019. The ICC had banned Zimbabwe from international cricket in July 2019 over their failure to keep the sport free from Government interference.

Zimbabwe have never beaten Sri Lanka in Tests, losing 13 and drawing five of their 18 encounters. The last time the teams squared off in the longest format of the game was in 2017 in Colombo, while Sri Lanka last toured Zimbabwe in 2016, with all three matches ending in Sri Lankan victories.