Zimbabwe will take on Australia in the second ODI of the three-match series at Harare Sports Club on Friday, September 18. Australia lead the series 1-0 after securing a 59-run victory in the opening match and will seal the series with another win.
Zimbabwe showed plenty of fight in the first ODI despite falling short. Newman Nyamhuri claimed 5/62, while Craig Ervine scored 59 and Sikandar Raza added 57. However, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 235 in 45.1 overs while chasing Australia’s 294/8.
Australia also had several standout performers. Matt Renshaw scored his maiden ODI century with a 109-run knock, while Cooper Connolly made 51. Nathan Ellis then produced a career-best 5/31 to help Australia complete the victory.
Zimbabwe will now look to level the series, while Australia will aim to maintain their momentum and secure the series with a match to spare.
ZIM vs AUS: Match details
| Match | Zimbabwe vs Australia, 2nd ODI |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, September 18, 2026 |
| Time | 1:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM local |
| Venue | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| Series | Australia tour of Zimbabwe 2026 |
| Toss | Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field |
| Live streaming | FanCode |
All three ODIs in the series are being played at Harare Sports Club, with the second ODI scheduled to start at 9:30 AM local time.
Harare Sports Club: Pitch report
The Harare surface can offer some assistance to fast bowlers with the new ball, particularly early in the innings. As the pitch settles, batting conditions can improve, allowing set batters to score freely. Zimbabwe’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss gives their seamers an opportunity to make use of the early conditions.
ZIM vs AUS: Head-to-head ODI record
| Matches played | 34 |
|---|---|
| Won by Zimbabwe | 3 |
| Won by Australia | 30 |
| Tied | 0 |
| No result | 1 |
Australia have historically dominated the ODI rivalry, although Zimbabwe have produced notable victories against them, including their famous three-wicket win in Townsville in 2022.
ZIM vs AUS: Playing XIs
Zimbabwe
- Brian Bennett
- Ben Curran
- Innocent Kaia
- Brendan Taylor (wk)
- Craig Ervine
- Sikandar Raza (c)
- Wessly Madhevere
- Brad Evans
- Newman Nyamhuri
- Wellington Masakadza
- Blessing Muzarabani
Australia
- Mitchell Marsh (c)
- Travis Head
- Cooper Connolly
- Josh Inglis (wk)
- Alex Carey
- Matt Renshaw
- Oliver Peake
- Nathan Ellis
- Adam Zampa
- Josh Hazlewood
- Billy Stanlake
Australia have made two changes from the first ODI, bringing in Josh Hazlewood and Billy Stanlake for Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson.
ZIM vs AUS: Probable best performers
Probable best batter: Matt Renshaw
Matt Renshaw will be one of Australia’s key batting options after producing a match-winning performance in the opening ODI. He scored 109 from 94 balls, helping Australia recover from a difficult position and post 294/8. It was his maiden ODI century.
Renshaw will look to carry that momentum into the second game and provide Australia with another substantial contribution.
Probable best bowler: Newman Nyamhuri
Newman Nyamhuri was Zimbabwe’s standout bowler in the first ODI, claiming 5/62. His five-wicket haul made him only the second Zimbabwean bowler to take five wickets against Australia in men’s ODIs.
The left-arm seamer will again be an important threat with the new ball as Zimbabwe look to restrict Australia’s powerful batting lineup.
ZIM vs AUS: Match prediction
Australia have the advantage after winning the opening ODI by 59 runs, but Zimbabwe showed enough with both bat and ball to suggest they can make the second match competitive. Renshaw and Ellis were decisive in the first game, while Nyamhuri, Ervine and Raza gave Zimbabwe several positives to build on.
With Australia already leading 1-0 and fielding first after the toss, they will look to put pressure on Zimbabwe and close out the series.
Prediction: Australia to win.
