🏏 Test Series: SA sweep Zimbabwe 2–0 emphatically

 

1st Test – Bulawayo (Jun 28–Jul 2)

• Result: South Africa won by 328 runs.

• Highlights: Lhuan‑dre Pretorius powered a blistering 153 and Corbin Bosch chipped in with an unbeaten century, steering SA to 418/9 declared. Zimbabwe struggled in both innings, succumbing by a wide margin.

2nd Test – Bulawayo (Jul 4–6)

• Result: South Africa triumphed by an innings and 236 runs, clinching the series.

• Star Performance: Stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder made history:

  • Unbeaten 367 runs (334 balls), the fifth-highest Test score ever and a new SA record, featuring 49 fours and four sixes.

  • Took two wickets in the match.

  • Chose to declare 34 runs short of Brian Lara’s all-time record—an act he described as respecting Lara’s legacy.

  • His declaration sparked debate—Chris Gayle criticized it as overly cautious “he panicked, he blundered” The Times of India—but Mulder and coach Shukri Conrad defended the decision.

• Bowling standout: Corbin Bosch (4–38) and spinner Senuran Muthusamy (3 wickets) dismantled the Zimbabwe batting lineup in the follow‑on.

🔥 T20 Tri-Series begins: Zimbabwe, South Africa, New Zealand

• Launch date: July 14 – 26, 2025, hosted at Harare Sports Club.

• Squads: SA led by Rassie van der Dussen; Zimbabwe captained by Sikandar Raza; New Zealand under Mitchell Santner. Devon Conway steps in after Finn Allen’s foot injury.

• 1st Match (Jul 14): South Africa beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in the tri-series opener. Debutant Rubin Hermann anchored the chase, making an immediate mark in T20 Internationals The Times of India.

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🧭 Series Significance & Next Steps

• The Test sweep underscores South Africa’s depth: they rotated players but still dominated — this extends their winning run to 10 consecutive Tests.

• Mulder’s innings is a career-defining moment—balancing individual brilliance with team-first strategy.

• Zimbabwe will shift focus to the ongoing T20 tri‑series and an upcoming Test series against New Zealand.

• South Africa’s next assignment: the Pakistan tour in October.

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🔍 What to Watch in the T20 Tri-Series

• Will Rubin Hermann remain a T20 revelation under pressure?

• Zimbabwe’s form, especially at home in Harare.

• New Zealand’s squad dynamics with Conway replacing Allen.

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Summary: South Africa has thoroughly dominated the Test series—highlighted by Mulder’s epic triple-century and their clinical performances. The narrative now shifts to T20 excitement as the three nations battle it out in Harare.