Who will win Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test 2020?
Zimbabwe make their return to test cricket when they host Sri Lanka in the first of two tests at the Harare Sports Club. The first test takes place between January 19 and January 23 and play starts at 10:00 every day.
Zimbabwe, who have not played a test match since facing Bangladesh in 2018, are without a win in 18 previous attempts against Sri Lanka – of which they have lost 13.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will be looking to recapture some form to take into the ICC World Test Championship. They tied their series with New Zealand 1-1, but then lost to Pakistan last time out.
ZIM vs SL, 1st Test 2020: Where to watch/Live streaming
TV channels: Sony Six, Sky Sports Cricket, SportsMax, Willow TV
Live streaming: Hotstar, SonyLiv
ZIM vs SL Toss Prediction
A slow, turning wicket could mean bowling in the fourth innings is key.
ZIM vs SL Weather Report
It could be a wet start to the week in Harare but conditions are expected to improve over the latter half of this test.
ZIM vs SL Pitch Condition
Harare tends to be a slow wicket, with plenty of turn – though not by the standards in Sri Lanka and the rest of the subcontinent.
Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds and match prediction for Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test 2020...
Zimbabwe Team News & Playing 11
ZIM Team News
Zimbabwe’s return to test cricket has seen them name five uncapped players in their 15-man squad, with Sean Williams replacing the retired Hamilton Masakadza as captain. Despite suggestions of mass retirements when Zimbabwe were banned by the ICC, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Sikandar Raza and Brendan Taylor are among the well-known names selected. Tendai Chatara is out injured.
ZIM Key Players
Kyle Jarvis: Took eight wickets in a first-class match at Harare before Christmas, and he needs just four more wickets to move to 50 in test cricket, as he prepares for his 13th match.
Brendan Taylor: One of few players in the current squad who could hold a candle to Zimbabwe’s best era and the likes of the Flower brothers etc. He has eight half-centuries and six hundreds in test cricket and averages 35.38.
Sikandar Raza: Hit two half-centuries in his most recent first-class game at Harare, playing for the Tuskers in the Logan Cup. In test cricket, he averages 34.08 with the bat and has taken 20 wickets in 18 innings with the ball too.
ZIM Team Form
Zimbabwe have not played test cricket since drawing with Bangladesh in November 2018. The match they won in that two-game series ended a losing streak stretching back to 2013 in test cricket.
Zimbabwe Predicted Playing 11
Timycen Maruma, Kevin Kasuza, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams (c), Sikandar Raza, Craig Ervine, Regis Chakabva (wk), Donald Tiripano, Victor Nyauchi, Charlton Tshuma, Kyle Jarvis,
Sri Lanka Team News & Playing 11
SL Team News
Kusal Perera has been dropped from the Sri Lankan test squad, despite his heroics in their series win against South Africa at the start of last year. His absence is one of the only surprises in the Sri Lankan squad, which sees Suranga Lakmal recalled in place of Asitha Fernando too.
SL Key Players
Dimuth Karunaratne: The Sri Lanka captain hit one half-century in his three innings against Pakistan, but had previously been in good test form against New Zealand – scoring 122 in Galle to lead them to victory.
Lahiru Kumara: The paceman took six wickets in Sri Lanka’s most recent test match to move to 60 in 19 matches in the format.
Oshada Fernando: Marked his most recent test innings with his maiden test century, fighting a lonely cause as he scored 102 in a heavy defeat to Pakistan.
SL Team Form
Sri Lanka have not played any ODI cricket since a 3-0 series win against Zimbabwe in July. Andrew Balbirnie opened the series with a century as Sri Lanka chased 255, before Tim Murtagh’s excellent bowling in Belfast earned wins in the second and third games.
Sri Lanka Predicted Playing 11
Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Lasith Embuldeniya, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha
Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka Head to Head
Sri Lanka have never lost a test match against Zimbabwe, despite playing against them more than any other nation has. They have won 13 of their 18 previous test against Zimbabwe though this will be their first since July 2017, when Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza hit centuries for the touring Zimbabwe in Sri Lanka to leave the hosts needing 388 to win in the final innings. Niroshan Dickwella and Asela Gunaratne scored 81 and 80* respectively, however, as they claimed a four-wicket win.
ZIM vs SL Head to Head Stats
| Matches Played |
ZIM Won |
SL Won |
Tie |
No Result |
| 18 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
5 |
Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka Betting Odds
Sri Lanka are big favourites to win this match, and their excellent record suggests it is only the rain that might stop them – the draw is 4.75 with Bet365 and 4.50 with Betway, which is worth bearing in mind if the rain has too big an impact.
ZIM Bet365 Odds
- ZIM to Win the Match: Zimbabwe are 6.50 to beat Sri Lanka in this first test with Bet365.
- ZIM Top Batsman: Brendan Taylor is 4.00 to be Zimbabwe’s top first innings batsman with Bet365, while Craig Ervine is 4.33 and Sean Williams is 4.50. Sikandar Raza can be backed at 5.00 with Bet365.
- ZIM Top Bowler: Kyle Jarvis is 3.50 favourite to be Zimbabwe’s top first innings bowler with Bet365, while Donald Tiripano is 4.50. Potential debutants Charlton Tshuma and Victory Nyauchi are both 5.00.
SL Bet365 Odds
- SL to Win the Match: Sri Lanka are big favourites to beat Zimbabwe in this first test. They are 1.44 with Bet365.
- SL Top Batsman: Sri Lanka are big favourites to beat Zimbabwe in this first test. They are 1.44 with Bet365.
- SL Top Bowler: Lahiru Kumara was in good form in an otherwise poor series against Pakistan from a Sri Lankan point of view. He is 4.33 to be Sri Lanka’s top first innings bowler and Kasun Rajitha can be backed at 4.50. Dilruwan Perera and Lasith Embuldeniya are both 4.00 with Bet365.
ZIM Betway Odds
- ZIM to Win the Match: Zimbabwe are 6.00 to beat Sri Lanka with Betway.
- ZIM Top Batsman: Brendan Taylor is 4.00 with Betway to be Zimbabwe’s top first-innings batsman, while Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza are both 4.75. Sean Williams can be backed at 5.00.
- ZIM Top Bowler: Kyle Jarvis is 3.25 favourite with Betway to be Zimbabwe’s top first-innings bowler while Charlton Tshuma, Victor Nyauchi and Carl Mumba are all 4.00. Donald Tiripano is 5.00 with Betway.
SL Betway Odds
- SL to Win the Match: Sri Lanka are 1.50 to beat Zimbabwe in the first test with Betway.
- SL Top Batsman: Dimuth Karunaratne can be backed at 4.33 to be Sri Lanka’s top batsman in the first innings with Betway, while Kusal Mendis is 4.50 and Oshada Fernando is 5.00. Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal are both 5.50.
- SL Top Bowler: Betway have named Kasun Rajitha favourite to be Sri Lanka’s top first innings bowler at 3.25, while Dilruwan Perera is 3.50 and Lahiru Kumara and Lasith Ambuldeniya both 3.75.
🏆 Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka Prediction
Sri Lanka are big favourites to win in Zimbabwe and, realistically, it should only be the weather that stops them.
Jan 19 - Jan 23, 2020
13:30 IST / 8:00 GMT
Harare Sports Club - Harare, Zimbabwe
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