Zimbabwe set to tour Sri Lanka for three ODIs in January 2022

Zimbabwe will tour Sri Lanka for three One-Day Internationals next month, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed the news on Tuesday (December 28). This tour will also mark Zimbabwe’s resumption in international cricket having last played in September against Scotland. The two teams will also be playing in the ODI format for the first time since January 2018.

They were involved in a tri-nation series also involving Bangladesh then. As far as bilateral series is concerned, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe faced each other in Hambantota in 2017. Interestingly, a spirited Zimbabwe side had come back from being down 1-2 to win the five-match ODI series then.

As far as the upcoming three-match ODI series is concerned, it will be played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 threat. All the matches will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy and will be day-night affairs. The ODI series will commence on January 16 with the last two games to be played on January 18 and 21. The visitors will arrive in Sri Lanka on January 10.

Zimbabwe will feel confident traveling to Sri Lanka as they have defeated them four times in last eight ODI matches. The team will be keen on repeating their heroics of 2017 even as Sri Lanka is also rebuilding the side.

Mahela Jayawardena’s first assignment as SL’s consultant coach

The ODI series will also be Mahela Jayawardena‘s first assignment as Sri Lanka’s consultant coach. Former coach Mickey Arthur stepped down from the position after the recent home series against West Indies and joined Derbyshire County as Head of Cricket.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have a busy schedule to start with in 2022. After the home series against Zimbabwe, they will travel down under to face Australia for a five-match T20I series in February. Within a week after coming back from Australia, the team from island nation will tour India for two Tests and 3 T20 Internationals.

Currently, their schedule after India tour is not revealed. But the team will be keen on playing more T20Is with the World Cup set to be played in Australia later this year.