Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bowl first in the second One-Day International against Australia at Harare Sports Club on Friday. The hosts trail 1-0 in the three-match series after Australia took the opener by 59 runs.
Zimbabwe head into the match chasing a way back into the series. In the first ODI, Newman Nyamhuri picked up a five-wicket haul, while Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza both struck useful half-centuries. Australia’s batting struggled at times in that match, but Matt Renshaw’s century and a Cooper Connolly fifty got them over the line. Nathan Ellis followed up with a five-wicket spell to seal the win.
The latest win probability for the second ODI gives Australia a 90 percent chance and Zimbabwe 10 percent. Zimbabwe’s XI includes Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Brendan Taylor, Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza, Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Newman Nyamhuri and Blessing Muzarabani. Raza captains the side, while Taylor keeps wicket.
Australia’s XI features Mitchell Marsh as captain, Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis as wicketkeeper, Alex Carey, Matt Renshaw, Oliver Peake, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood and Billy Stanlake.
In the opening ODI, Australia posted 294 for 8 in 50 overs. Renshaw made 109, his maiden ODI century, and Connolly scored 51. Nyamhuri took 5 for 62. Zimbabwe replied with 235 in 45.1 overs. Ervine made 59 and Raza 57, while Ellis finished with 5 for 31 as Australia won by 59 runs.
Zimbabwe’s chase began badly when Ben Curran chipped one tamely to mid off and departed for a duck. Brian Bennett gave his side some hope with early boundaries, including a six off Spencer Johnson, but Ellis quickly put Australia in control with a double strike in his opening over. Innocent Kaia was foxed by Ellis’s slower delivery before Bennett edged one behind. Brendan Taylor lofted one straight to long-on to gift his wicket to Renshaw.
Raza and Ervine then joined forces to stem the rot, with Ervine in particular looking in sublime touch. The two batters revived the chase at the halfway mark. In the process, two batters aged over 40 registered half-centuries, a first in the history of ODIs. Ellis returned to break the crucial stand. An injured Raza was castled by Spencer Johnson a few overs later. The home side’s lower order dragged the chase into the death overs, but Ellis came back for his final spell and finished the game by adding two more wickets to his tally for a five-fer.
Earlier in the day, Australia lost their top four inside 18 overs after opting to bat. Travis Head chopped one on to his stumps in just the second over. Mitchell Marsh and Cooper Connolly turned the tide with a flurry of boundaries. Marsh hammered successive short deliveries for a four and a six off Blessing Muzarabani. Newman Nyamhuri struck in his first over to get rid of Marsh. Nyamhuri struck again when Josh Inglis edged one behind, and Raza got the big wicket of Connolly, who had just gone past fifty with a six after surviving two chances in two overs.
Renshaw joined Carey with Australia needing a rebuild. With less than 18 overs sent down, Carey played out deliveries to bat deep into the innings. Once the partnership grew in confidence, Renshaw smashed a six over deep midwicket and followed it with another big one off Wellington Masakadza in the next over. Brad Evans returned to provide relief with Carey’s wicket. Renshaw hammered another six to bring up his fifty before forging another useful stand with Peake. The boundaries started flowing before a hit-wicket sent Peake packing as he stepped onto the stumps. Renshaw brought up his maiden ton before becoming Nyamhuri’s fifth and final victim.
The series schedule has the first ODI at Harare Sports Club on September 15, 2026, where Australia won by 59 runs. The second ODI is at Harare Sports Club on September 18, 2026, with the result to be determined. The third ODI is at Harare Sports Club on September 20, 2026, also to be determined.
