Zimbabwe will host India for a three-match T20I in Harare in July, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announced on Wednesday.

This, India’s first tour to Zimbabwe since July 2024, when they played five T20Is, comes close on the heels of the announcement of Zimbabwe’s tour of India, for three ODIs in January 2027, which will be their first visit to India for a bilateral series since 2002.

India and Zimbabwe met most recently in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup, when India won by 72 runs in Chennai after putting up 256 for 4.

Givemore Makoni, the ZC managing director, said the series against India presented a significant opportunity for both the players and the fans in Zimbabwe.

“Matches against India always generate enormous interest and this is a fantastic opportunity for our players to test themselves against the world champions on home soil,” he said in a statement. “Following our encouraging performances at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, this series gives us a strong platform to build momentum and continue growing as a competitive force in international cricket.”

Zimbabwe’s tour of India after more than two decades is also reason for excitement at ZC.

“It is a landmark moment for Zimbabwe to be touring India again for a bilateral ODI series after more than two decades,” Makoni said. “India is one of the premier destinations in world cricket and this tour represents both an honour and a valuable opportunity for our players.

“We are looking forward to competitive and high-quality cricket and we believe this engagement will further strengthen the relationship between the two cricketing nations while providing invaluable exposure for our team.”