Ireland wrapped up their tour of Zimbabwe with an intense one-off Test match at Queens Sports Club, marking the second red-ball encounter between the two teams. Ireland had claimed victory in their previous Test meeting in Belfast last year, winning by four wickets. This time, the Zimbabwean side, featuring three debutants—Johnathan Campbell (captaining in the absence of Craig Ervine and Sean Williams), Nyasha Mayavo, and Nicholas Welch—put up a spirited fight against their visitors.

The match started with a bang as Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani dismissed PJ Moor in the first over, setting the tone for a fierce contest. Ireland’s batting lineup struggled against Zimbabwe’s pace attack, with Curtis Campher and Andy Balbirnie falling early. By the 15th over, Ireland was in deep trouble at 82/6, with Lorcan Tucker’s quick 33 off 28 balls ending at the hands of Trevor Gwandu. Muzarabani’s historic performance saw him claim 7-58, the best-ever by a Zimbabwean pacer in Test cricket and the second-best overall in the country’s history. He also became only the third Zimbabwean bowler to take consecutive five-wicket hauls in Tests.

With Zimbabwe dominating the Test, all eyes now turn to Harare, where the two teams will face off in a three-match ODI and T20I series. With momentum on their side, Zimbabwe will look to capitalize on their strong showing, while Ireland aims to bounce back in the limited-overs format.