Explained: Why is Zimbabwe vs New Zealand test series not part of ICC World Test Championship 2025-27?

Zimbabwe vs New Zealand test series 2025 will be played from July 30 in Bulawayo.

Following the conclusion of the T20I Tri-series, Zimbabwe will now host New Zealand for a two-match test series. The opening game will begin on July 30 at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. The second game will also be played at the same venue from August 7.

In the absence of Tom Latham, Mitchell Santner will be captaining New Zealand in first match of the series while Craig Ervine will lead the hosts.

While New Zealand are coming off a series triumph in the recently-concluded T20I Tri-series involving Zimbabwe and South Africa, Zimbabwe will be entering this test series on the back of back-to-back thrashings in their recent international games.

Zimbabwe first lost a one-off test against England before losing two-match test series against South Africa at home and then the T20I Tri-series.

Notably, Zimbabwe have never defeated New Zealand in a test match. Both teams have locked horns in 17 tests so far. New Zealand won 11 games, while six ended in a draw. Both teams last clashed in a test series in 2016.

Why is Zimbabwe vs New Zealand test series not part of ICC World Test Championship 2025-27?

However, the Zimbabwe vs New Zealand test series will not be part of ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27. This is because Zimbabwe are not part of the nine teams who participate in the ICC WTC. When the tournament was first introduced in 2019, the top nine ranked ICC test teams as of 31st March 2018 made it to the tournament and the ICC hasn’t increased the participating teams yet.

For that reason, despite being test nations, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan are not part of the ICC WTC. Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the only nations who are part of ICC WTC as of now.

Meanwhile, the winners of the first ICC WTC cycle (2019-21), New Zealand are yet to commence their journey in ICC WTC 2025-27 cycle. The Kiwis will begin their campaign in ICC WTC 2025-27 with a three-match test series against the West Indies at home in December this year.

Meanwhile, as of 29th July, 2025, Australia occupy the top spot in ICC WTC 2025-27 points table, followed by Sri Lanka in the second place. England and India occupy third and fourth spots respectively.

Bangladesh and West Indies occupy fifth and sixth spots respectively. New Zealand, South Africa, and Pakistan are yet to commence their campaign in the ongoing ICC WTC cycle.

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