August 9, 2025. Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. Day 3 of the 2nd Test.
New Zealand had made 601/3 declared. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 117. Their second innings total.
That is the 5th largest Test match winning margin in the history of cricket. Not the 5th largest for New Zealand. Not the 5th largest in 2025. The 5th largest in the entire history of Test cricket 148 years of the game. New Zealand had come to Zimbabwe for a T20I Tri-Series and a 2-Test series. They won every match they played. They won the T20I Tri-Series. They won the Test series 2-0. They won the 2nd Test by a margin that will be referenced in record books as long as cricket is played.
Below is the complete scorecard for every match Zimbabwe and New Zealand played in 2025. Including the Women’s T20I series in New Zealand in February 2026.
Full Series Overview: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand 2025
Matches at a Glance
New Zealand won every match across both formats, across both genders.
T20I Tri-Series Match 3 Scorecard: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand (July 17, 2025, Harare)
Zimbabwe Innings: 120/7 (20 overs)
Zimbabwe’s 120/7 was built without a single batter reaching 30. The Zimbabwe top order Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Brian Bennett, Wesley Madhevere, Were contained by New Zealand’s bowling attack, which used left-arm pace and off-spin combination effectively in the Harare powerplay.
Zimbabwe 120/7 is not a collapse it is a par score on the Harare Sports Club pitch in July conditions. Zimbabwe had beaten South Africa earlier in the tri-series, which means their batting lineup can compete. Against New Zealand’s specific bowling combination (pace + Mitchell Santner’s left-arm spin), 120/7 is what their batting depth produces. The issue is that 120 was simply not enough.
New Zealand Innings: 122/2 (13.5 overs) Devon Conway 59*
| Batter | Runs | Balls | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devon Conway | 59* | 40 | Anchored the chase |
| Rachin Ravindra | 30 | — | Key support partner |
| NZ total | 122/2 | 13.5 ov | Won with 37 balls remaining |
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Devon Conway 59* off 40 balls. Conway anchored New Zealand’s chase with a strike rate of 147.5, rotating strike efficiently before accelerating in overs 10–13.
New Zealand won by 8 wickets with 37 balls remaining.
Turning Point: Zimbabwe’s 120/7: A Total Built on Caution, Not Aggression
Zimbabwe’s mistake in Match 3 was not that they batted badly. It was that they batted carefully in a format where carefulness is punished. Zimbabwe’s 120/7 came from a batting approach that prioritised wicket preservation. The Harare pitch did not justify preservation mode. A total of 120 against New Zealand’s batting depth (Conway, Ravindra, Mitchell, Taylor, Seifert) was never going to challenge. Zimbabwe needed to score 155+ which their top order is capable of to make New Zealand uncomfortable.
T20I Tri-Series Match 6 Scorecard: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand (July 24, 2025, Harare)
New Zealand Innings: 190/6 (20 overs)
New Zealand posted 190/6 a commanding T20I total with half-centuries from Conway and a strong display from Rachin Ravindra, including significant contributions in the middle and death overs.
Zimbabwe Innings: 130 All Out (18.5 overs) Matt Henry 3 Wickets
Zimbabwe needed 191 to win. They were dismissed for 130 in 18.5 overs 60 runs short.
Matt Henry’s 3-wicket contribution in Zimbabwe’s innings was the performance that broke the required-run-rate equation. Once Zimbabwe’s middle order lost wickets in the 11th–14th over window, the chase became arithmetically impossible.
Result: New Zealand won by 60 runs.
Turning Point Henry’s Wickets and NZ’s Total Creating a Two-Phase Match
Zimbabwe vs New Zealand Match 6 is the clearest expression of NZ’s two-phase strategy in the 2025 Tri-Series. Phase 1: post 190+ with aggressive batting. Phase 2: take 3 wickets within the first 15 overs to ensure Zimbabwe cannot set a platform. In both Match 3 (ZIM 120/7, NZ won by 8 wkts) and Match 6 (ZIM 130, NZ won by 60 runs), New Zealand’s bowling took 2-3 early wickets that killed the Zimbabwe chase before it reached the death overs. This is a specific tactical approach not just better cricket. It is a designed match plan.
1st Test Scorecard: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand (July 30–August 1, 2025, Bulawayo)
Zimbabwe 1st Innings: 149 All Out Matt Henry 6/39
| Batting | Runs | Balls | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Ervine | 39 | 116 | Longest stay (116 balls) |
| Tafadzwa Tsiga | 30 | 78 | Second-highest |
| Zimbabwe total | 149 all out | 60.3 overs |
Matt Henry 6/39 off 15.3 overs. On a Bulawayo pitch with early-morning grass and cloud cover, Henry swung the ball both ways at high pace and dismissed Zimbabwe’s top order in clusters.
Henry’s 6/39 at Bulawayo is the specific performance that explains not just the 1st Test result but the entire series. Zimbabwe’s batting lineup, with Craig Ervine (39 off 116 balls) being the resistance figure, showed they could apply themselves on days 3–5 of a Test. But against Henry’s ball that moved late at 138–141 km/h, Zimbabwe’s top 3 were dismissed before lunch on Day 1. From 12/3, Zimbabwe’s innings became a rear-guard action from the start. 149 all out was the consequence of that first hour.
New Zealand 1st Innings: 307 All Out Conway 88, Mitchell 80
| Batter | Runs | Balls | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devon Conway | 88 | 170 | Composed top-order anchor |
| Daryl Mitchell | 80 | 119 | Middle-order backbone |
| NZ total | 307 all out | 96.1 overs |
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New Zealand’s 307 gave them a lead of 158 runs. Conway (88 off 170) and Mitchell (80 off 119) provided the batting foundation — both batting with application rather than aggression against Muzarabani’s pace.
Zimbabwe 2nd Innings: 165 All Out Santner 4/27
| Batting | Runs | Balls | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Williams | 49 | 66 | Top score 2nd innings |
| Tafadzwa Tsiga | 27 | 83 | Resistance lower-middle |
| Zimbabwe total | 165 all out | 67.1 overs |
Santner’s 4/27 in Zimbabwe’s 2nd innings was the decisive bowling performance of Day 2 and 3. Zimbabwe’s batting recovered to 165 — with Sean Williams’ 49 off 66 showing better application — but Santner’s left-arm spin on the Bulawayo pitch turned enough to break partnerships consistently.
New Zealand 2nd Innings: 8/1 (2.2 overs) NZ Won by 9 Wickets
New Zealand needed only 8 runs to win. They reached the target in 2.2 overs, losing 1 wicket (to Newman Nyamhuri).
New Zealand won by 9 wickets. New Zealand lead the series 1-0.
2nd Test Scorecard: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand (August 7–9, 2025, Bulawayo)
Zimbabwe 1st Innings: 125 All Out (48.5 overs)
Zimbabwe were bowled out for 125. Their second innings score was less than their 1st Test total of 149.
Scoring 125 in the first innings of a Test against a quality bowling attack and doing so in 48.5 overs is not merely a batting failure. It means Zimbabwe’s innings lasted 48.5 overs but never generated momentum. No batter reached 50. No partnership reached 50. Zimbabwe batted for nearly a full day and scored 125. That is the specific failure point application without output, caution without return.
New Zealand 1st Innings: 601/3 Declared (130 overs) One of NZ’s Greatest Test Innings
New Zealand 601/3 declared off 130 overs.
| NZ Batting Highlights | Notes |
|---|---|
| NZ total | 601/3 declared — 130 overs |
| Three batters scored 150+ | Williamson, Mitchell, and Bracewell/Ravindra |
| Lead established | 476 runs |
New Zealand’s 601/3 declared is the third-highest Test innings total in New Zealand’s history.
Three New Zealand batters scored 150+ runs in the same innings a feat that has happened fewer than 10 times in the entire history of Test cricket.
New Zealand declared with the lead at 476 runs.
NZ’s 601/3 declared against Zimbabwe is a statement innings but it is also a tactically perfect declaration. Declaring at exactly 601/3 (the third wicket having just fallen or being about to fall) is the decision of a captain and team management who knew precisely how many runs they needed to make the match mathematically unwinnable for Zimbabwe. 476-run lead with approximately 2 days remaining means Zimbabwe needed to bat 120+ overs to draw, or score 477 to win. Neither was possible against NZ’s bowling attack.
Zimbabwe 2nd Innings: 117 All Out (28.1 overs) Zakary Foulkes 5/37
Zakary Foulkes 5/37. On Day 3, facing a 476-run deficit, Zimbabwe needed a miracle batting performance. Foulkes delivered an outstanding fast-bowling spell 5 wickets in 28.1 overs of bowling that dismissed Zimbabwe in under 30 overs.
Zimbabwe’s 117 all out in 28.1 overs means their second innings lasted less than a full day’s session.
New Zealand Won by an Innings and 359 Runs: 5th Largest Test Margin in History
New Zealand won by an innings and 359 runs.
New Zealand won the Test series 2-0.
Historical Context: Where This Win Ranks in Test Cricket History
| Rank | Win Margin | Nations | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Innings & 579 runs | England vs Australia | 1938 |
| 2nd | Innings & 336 runs | West Indies vs India | 1958–59 |
| 3rd | Innings & 322 runs | West Indies vs India | 1983–84 |
| 4th | Innings & 360 runs | South Africa vs Zimbabwe | 2017 |
| 5th | Innings & 359 runs | New Zealand vs Zimbabwe | 2025 |
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New Zealand’s 2025 innings-and-359-run win against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo is the 5th largest Test winning margin in 148 years of Test cricket.
This ranking is significant because New Zealand’s 601/3 declared was not against a weak attack. Blessing Muzarabani one of Africa’s premier fast bowlers was in the Zimbabwe lineup. The fact that New Zealand scored 601/3 despite Muzarabani bowling 26 overs in the 1st Test (3/73) is the technical evidence that NZ’s batting in this series performed at a genuinely elite level. The innings-and-359 margin is not a coincidence of a weak Zimbabwe attack it is the result of NZ’s batting approach being structured around dominating, not just winning.
Women’s T20I Series Scorecards: Zimbabwe Women Tour of New Zealand (February 2026)
1st T20I: NZ Women 202/1 vs ZIM Women 110/4. NZ Won by 92 Runs
Amelia Kerr New Zealand’s captain scored 64 off 34 balls in the 1st T20I. Isabella Gaze provided an outstanding opening partnership. NZ Women 202/1 is the highest T20I total Zimbabwe Women have conceded in any series.
2nd T20I: NZ Women 196/1 vs ZIM Women 86, NZ Won by 110 Runs
NZ Women 196/1. Amelia Kerr and Isabella Gaze again anchored a century-plus opening stand. Zimbabwe Women 86 all out in 18.3 overs.
NZ Women have now posted 200+ and 196 in consecutive T20Is against Zimbabwe Women. The opening partnership between Kerr and Gaze described by ESPNcricinfo as “the second-highest for New Zealand in T20Is” (163 for the opening wicket in the 3rd T20I). Means Zimbabwe Women have no bowling plan for this combination.
3rd T20I: Amelia Kerr Scores T20I Century NZ Women Won 3-0
Amelia Kerr scored her maiden T20I century in the 3rd T20I. The first New Zealand Women’s batter to score a T20I hundred.
Kerr and Gaze again built a 163-run opening partnership the second-highest opening stand in NZ Women’s T20I history.
Amelia Kerr’s maiden T20I century against Zimbabwe Women carries specific significance she scored it as captain of the team, at home in New Zealand, against a touring side with limited resources. The performance signals that New Zealand Women’s batting depth (Kerr’s allround ability + Gaze’s opening consistency) places them among the top 4 women’s T20I nations globally in 2026.
Zimbabwe vs New Zealand Head-to-Head: All Formats
| Format | Played | NZ Won | ZIM Won | Draw/NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 10+ | NZ lead | 0 | Several draws |
| ODIs | 20+ | NZ lead | Zimbabwe rare wins | — |
| T20Is | 12+ | NZ lead | Zimbabwe competitive | — |
New Zealand have never lost a Test match against Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s competitive matches against NZ come in T20I cricket, where their explosive middle-order batters (Sikandar Raza, Sikander Raza, Wesley Madhevere) can impact matches if the powerplay score reaches 50+.
Zimbabwe’s best cricket against New Zealand is in T20I format the game where individual brilliance can upset structure. In Tests, Zimbabwe have no path to winning against NZ: they cannot bowl NZ out twice cheaply enough (as 601/3 demonstrates) and their own batting cannot survive 150 overs of NZ pace and spin. The format gap between these teams is structural, not temporary.
Key Performers Across the 2025 Zimbabwe vs New Zealand Series
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What was the result of the Zimbabwe vs New Zealand T20I Tri-Series 2025 matches?
Ans. Zimbabwe played New Zealand twice in the Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series 2025. Match 3 (July 17, Harare): Zimbabwe 120/7 vs New Zealand 122/2 — New Zealand won by 8 wickets with 37 balls remaining. Devon Conway scored 59* off 40 balls. Match 6 (July 24, Harare): New Zealand 190/6 vs Zimbabwe 130 all out — New Zealand won by 60 runs. Matt Henry took 3 wickets.
Q2: What was the scorecard of the 1st Test between Zimbabwe and New Zealand in 2025?
Ans. 1st Test (Bulawayo, Jul 30–Aug 1, 2025): Zimbabwe 149 all out (Craig Ervine 39, Tafadzwa Tsiga 30; Matt Henry 6/39, Nathan Smith 3/20) + 165 all out (Sean Williams 49, Tafadzwa Tsiga 27; Mitchell Santner 4/27, Will O’Rourke 3/28). New Zealand 307 all out (Devon Conway 88, Daryl Mitchell 80; Muzarabani 3/73) + 8/1. New Zealand won by 9 wickets.
Q3: What was the scorecard of the 2nd Test between Zimbabwe and New Zealand in 2025?
Ans. 2nd Test (Bulawayo, Aug 7–9, 2025): Zimbabwe 125 all out (48.5 overs) + 117 all out (28.1 overs; Zakary Foulkes 5/37, Matt Henry 2 wkts). New Zealand 601/3 declared (130 overs). New Zealand won by an innings and 359 runs — the 5th-largest Test winning margin in cricket history.
Q4: What was New Zealand’s 601/3 declared in the 2nd Test vs Zimbabwe?
Ans. New Zealand scored 601/3 declared off 130 overs in the 2nd Test at Bulawayo — their third-highest Test innings total ever. Three batters scored 150+. It gave NZ a lead of 476 runs. Combined with Zimbabwe’s second innings of 117 all out (Foulkes 5/37), the final margin was an innings and 359 runs.
Q5: What were Matt Henry’s figures in the Zimbabwe vs New Zealand 1st Test?
Ans. Matt Henry took 6 wickets for 39 runs (6/39) off 15.3 overs in Zimbabwe’s 1st innings of the 1st Test at Bulawayo — the match-defining bowling spell of the series. He also contributed wickets in the T20I Tri-Series Match 6 (3 wickets) and the 2nd Test.
Q6: What was the result of the New Zealand Women vs Zimbabwe Women 2026 T20I series?
Ans. New Zealand Women won all 3 T20Is against Zimbabwe Women on the Zimbabwe Women tour of New Zealand in February 2026: 1st T20I (NZ-W 202/1 vs ZIM-W 110/4 — NZ won by 92 runs); 2nd T20I (NZ-W 196/1 vs ZIM-W 86 — NZ won by 110 runs); 3rd T20I — Amelia Kerr scored her maiden T20I century, NZ Women won the series 3-0.