Queens Sports Club Bulawayo Pitch Report For Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 1st Test

Muskaan Bhatt

Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo [Source: @bxllyville/X]Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo [Source: @bxllyville/X]

After a T20I and ODI series, Zimbabwe is set to host its first Boxing Day Test in 28 years. The opening match of a two-match series against Afghanistan at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on December 26.

Craig Ervine will lead Zimbabwe, and feature experienced players like Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Blessing Muzarabani, and Richard Ngarava. Young talents like Ben Curran and Tadiwanashe Marumani are also expected to play. 

Afghanistan, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, will be without star all-rounder Rashid Khan due to personal reasons. Despite this setback, they remain favourites, with debutants Sediqullah Atal and Ismat Alam expected to feature. The Afghan squad also includes experienced players like Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad Malik, and promising pacer Naveed Zadran.

In this article, let us take a look at the ground stats, pitch report and players to watch out for in the upcoming game:

Queens Sports Club Bulawayo Stats And Records In Tests

Criterion
Data
Matches Played 25
Matches won batting first 4
Matches won batting second 12
Average 1st innings score 307
Average 2nd innings score 395

Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo has hosted 25 Test matches. Teams have won 4 times when batting first and 12 times when batting second. The average first-innings score at the venue is 307, while the average second-innings score is higher at 395.

Queens Sports Club Bulawayo Pitch Report: Is It Batting Or Bowling Friendly?

The surface of Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo would be slightly on the drier side. However, looking at the weather conditions which indicates a 85% chance of precipitation, there is a strong chance that the pacers would be at the top of their game early on in the innings for a significant period. 

While the start could be tricky for the batters in order to adjust to the conditions, but once the batters overcome it and stay put for the initial overs, it is expected be a batting delight. The batting-friendly pitch would also provide assistance to the spinners who would be able to use the conditions to their advantage and trouble the batters as the game goes on.

Keeping the overcast conditions in mind, the team winning the toss will likely bowl first.

Players To Watch Out For At Queens Sports Club Bulawayo

  1. Sikandar Raza: Unarguably Zimbabwe's best player ever, Sikandar Raza is a a world class all-rounder. He holds key for the home-team's success in the upcoming game.
  2. Azmatullah Omarzai: Despite missing, the services of their star all-rounder Rashid Khan in the first Test, Omarzai's brilliance will bore fruit for the visitors. It would be a crucial factor in helping Afghanistan bag their first Test win in over three years.
  3. Sediqullah Atal: His destructive nature on field would be key in the top order especially for a Rahmanullah Gurbaz-less team. 
  4. Allah Ghazanfar: As mentioned above, the wicket will provide assistance to spinners and who better than Allah Ghazanfar to exploit those conditions. His ability to attack right at the stumps make him a formidable player for the Afghan side.