New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 359 runs in the 2nd Test at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo (August 7–9, 2025). Zimbabwe were dismissed for 125 and 117. New Zealand declared at 601/3. Zakary Foulkes took 9/75 on Test debut the best figures by a New Zealand debutant in history. Here you will find Zimbabwe National Cricket Team Vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard.
Before diving into the analysis, here is the complete match summary at a glance optimized for quick reference and featured snippet extraction.
| Detail | Information |
| Match | 2nd Test, New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe 2025 |
| Venue | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| Dates | August 7–9, 2025 |
| Zimbabwe 1st Innings | 125 all out (48.5 overs) |
| New Zealand 1st Innings | 601/3 declared (130 overs) |
| Zimbabwe 2nd Innings | 117 all out (28.1 overs) |
| Result | New Zealand won by an innings and 359 runs |
| Player of the Match | Rachin Ravindra (165*) |
| Best Bowling | Zakary Foulkes 9/75 (Test debut) |
This was not just a win. This was New Zealand’s biggest-ever Test victory and it happened in three days.
Zimbabwe National Cricket Team vs New Zealand: First Innings Scorecard
Zimbabwe First Innings: 125 All Out (48.5 Overs)
Zimbabwe were bowled out for 125 in their first innings of the 2nd Test at Bulawayo. Matt Henry took 5/40 and Zakary Foulkes took 4/38. Brendan Taylor’s 44 was the top score. The innings lasted just 48.5 overs.
Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat. What followed was the definition of structural failure under pressure.
Brian Bennett fell for a duck in the third over. Nick Welch was trapped lbw for 11. Sean Williams was caught for 11. Three wickets inside 17 overs and Zimbabwe’s top order had already fractured.
The scoreboard reached 83 for 7 three wickets fell at the same total. That is not a collapse. That is a cricketing system breaking down at every level simultaneously.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | SR |
| Brendan Taylor | 44 | 107 | 6 | 41.12 |
| Tafadzwa Tsiga | 33* | 54 | 4 | 61.11 |
| Nick Welch | 11 | 31 | 2 | 35.48 |
| Sean Williams | 11 | 13 | 1 | 84.62 |
| Craig Ervine (c) | 7 | 28 | 1 | 25.00 |
Bowling: Matt Henry 5/40, Zakary Foulkes 4/38
What Most Analysts Get Wrong About Taylor’s 44
Brendan Taylor’s 44 off 107 balls looks like resolve. In reality, it reflects Zimbabwe’s most dangerous tactical flaw they had no second gear. Taylor’s anchor role kept them from being bowled out in 30 overs, but it could not build partnerships because positions 7 through 11 offered nothing.
Zimbabwe’s total of 125 was their lowest score in nine innings and second-lowest since 2023.
New Zealand’s Dominant Reply: Full Batting Scorecard
New Zealand First Innings: 601/3 Declared (130 Overs)
New Zealand declared at 601/3 in the 2nd Test against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in 2025. Rachin Ravindra scored 165* off 139 balls. Devon Conway hit 153 and Henry Nicholls made 150*. This is the complete zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team match scorecard for NZ’s first innings.
This was not a batting performance. This was a public exhibition of class against a broken attack.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Devon Conway | 153 | 245 | 18 | 0 | 62.45 |
| Will Young | 74 | 101 | 11 | 0 | 73.27 |
| Henry Nicholls | 150* | 245 | 15 | 0 | 61.22 |
| Rachin Ravindra | 165* | 139 | 21 | 2 | 118.71 |
Total: 601/3 declared. Extras: 23 (18 lb, 5 nb)
Three players scored 150 or more in the same innings. The last time any team did this against Zimbabwe in Tests, it was similarly one-sided.
Why Ravindra’s 118.71 Strike Rate Changes Everything
Ravindra entered at 235 for 2 in the 52nd over. Conway and Nicholls had already done the grinding work. The pitch was flat. Zimbabwe’s bowlers were tired.
Ravindra’s job was not to survive. It was to accelerate and end the match as a contest.
He hit 21 fours and 2 sixes in 139 balls. He went from 0 to 165 without being dismissed, forcing Tom Latham to declare with a lead of 476 runs.
What separates elite batters from good ones is not the ability to score it is the ability to read exactly what the moment demands and execute it without hesitation. Ravindra read this perfectly.
The Bowling Figures Tell Zimbabwe’s Bigger Story
- Blessing Muzarabani: 1/101 from 24 overs (4.20 economy)
- Neville Madziva/Chivanga: 0/94 from 17 overs
- Gwandu: 0/131
Muzarabani was the only Zimbabwe bowler who genuinely tested the batters. The rest were expensive without reward. When your best bowler concedes 4.20 an over in a Test match and still takes only one wicket, it shows the depth problem runs both ways.
Counterintuitive insight: New Zealand’s declaration at 601/3 was not purely tactical it was psychological warfare. Sending Zimbabwe back in to bat before stumps on Day 3 with an insurmountable 476-run deficit removes all remaining hope. Tom Latham understood the pitch would deteriorate. The timing of the declaration mattered as much as the total.
Zimbabwe Second Innings: The Capitulation Confirmed
Zimbabwe Second Innings: 117 All Out (28.1 Overs)
Zimbabwe were bowled out for 117 in their second innings of the 2nd Test vs New Zealand at Bulawayo. Zakary Foulkes took 5/37 and Matt Henry took 2/16. Nick Welch was unbeaten on 47. New Zealand won by an innings and 359 runs.
Brian Bennett fell for a duck off the third ball of the second innings.
Within 4.1 overs, Zimbabwe were 11 for 2. By the 6th over, they were 24 for 3. The match was functionally over inside the first session of Day 3.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | SR |
| Nick Welch | 47* | 71 | 7 | 66.20 |
| Craig Ervine (c) | 17 | 31 | 2 | 54.84 |
| Brendan Taylor | 7 | 12 | 1 | 58.33 |
Bowling: Zakary Foulkes 5/37, Matt Henry 2/16
The Statistic Nobody Is Talking About
Zimbabwe lost 13 wickets combined inside the first 25 overs across both innings. That is not variance. That is a repeating structural failure in the opening phase of every innings.
Nick Welch’s unbeaten 47 off 71 balls deserves far more attention than it has received. In a team crumbling around him, he batted nearly 12 overs without being dismissed, carrying a lower-order collapse with genuine composure. That innings is the strongest evidence that Zimbabwe’s problem is not individual talent it is the absence of a batting system that creates mutual support between players.
Zakary Foulkes: The Record-Breaking Debutant
Zakary Foulkes took 9/75 on his Test debut for New Zealand against Zimbabwe in August 2025 the best figures by a New Zealand debutant in Test history. He took 4/38 in the first innings and 5/37 in the second.
This is the name most post-match coverage buried beneath the batting headlines. Foulkes took 9 wickets in his first-ever Test match. His figures of 9/75 are the best match figures by any New Zealand debutant in the history of the format.
He bowled at an economy under 3.50 across 25 overs while Zimbabwe’s own bowlers went at over 5. He was disciplined, consistent, and relentlessly uncomfortable to face on a pitch that offered pace and carry.
His 5/37 in the second innings effectively ended the match as a contest inside session one of the final day before most fans had settled in.
Practical implication: Foulkes is now a confirmed Test asset for New Zealand in overseas conditions the truest marker of a quality Test bowler. If you follow New Zealand cricket, track his development closely. He is not a one-Test story.
1st Test Scorecard: Bulawayo, July 30, 2025
Matt Henry’s Six-Wicket Haul Sets the Tone
The pattern was established in the first Test. Matt Henry took 6/39 to dismiss Zimbabwe for 149 in their first innings at Queens Sports Club. Nathan Smith took 3/20 in support.
New Zealand responded by reaching 92/0 at stumps on Day 1 Devon Conway (51*) and Will Young (41*) having already wiped out more than 60% of the deficit.
The first Test established the blueprint that defined the second: New Zealand’s new-ball bowlers overwhelm Zimbabwe’s top order within 15 overs, the middle order never receives a sufficient platform, and the NZ batting lineup converts that into a commanding total the hosts cannot answer.
ZIM vs NZ T20I Tri-Series 2025: Scorecard and Analysis
Match 6, Harare Sports Club July 24, 2025
The zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team match scorecard in T20 cricket told the same story in a shorter format.
| Team | Score | Overs |
| New Zealand | 190/6 | 20.0 |
| Zimbabwe | 130 | 18.5 |
Result: New Zealand won by 60 runs. Ish Sodhi won Player of the Match.
The Powerplay Problem That Decided the Chase
Zimbabwe’s powerplay produced 38 runs for 4 wickets losing four wickets inside the first 6 overs when a strong base was essential.
What people think vs reality: Most fans assume Zimbabwe’s T20 batting is more competitive and aggressive than their Test batting. The powerplay figures prove otherwise. Losing 4 wickets in 6 overs means the chase was effectively decided before the 10th over arrived. The aggression Zimbabwe showed was not controlled intent it was desperation colliding with good bowling.
Zimbabwe’s coach Justin Sammons publicly lamented the chronic batting collapses that plagued the T20I series. This was not a coaching admission about a one-off bad day it was a structural confession.
Head-to-Head History: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand in Tests
Zimbabwe have never beaten New Zealand in a Test match. New Zealand have won the majority of Tests played between the two sides, with all Zimbabwe draws occurring before 2001. The 2025 margin of an innings and 359 runs is the largest in their bilateral Test history.
| Year | Venue | Result | Margin |
| 2025 | Bulawayo | NZ won | Innings & 359 runs |
| 2016 | Bulawayo | NZ won | 254 runs |
| 2016 | Bulawayo | NZ won | Innings & 117 runs |
| 2012 | Napier | NZ won | Innings & 301 runs |
| 2005 | Bulawayo | NZ won | Innings & 46 runs |
The 2025 win margin is the largest in the history of this rivalry. Zimbabwe’s only positive results all draws came before 2001. More than two decades have passed without Zimbabwe avoiding defeat against New Zealand.
Why Zimbabwe Keep Losing: The Real Tactical Problem
Zimbabwe’s repeated batting failures against New Zealand stem from a structural depth problem, not a lack of individual talent. The top order consistently falls within the first 10 overs, the middle order lacks a reliable No. 6 who converts starts, and the bowling attack cannot take 20 wickets in a Test match.
The scorecard records collapses. The analysis reveals a pattern. But the root cause requires a deeper read.
The Collapse Template Zimbabwe Cannot Break
Zimbabwe’s batting failures follow a consistent structural template across every Test against quality opposition:
- The top two wickets fall inside 10 overs pace and movement do the damage
- Williams, Ervine, or Taylor stabilize the middle section briefly
- A single partnership break via poor shot selection or LBW triggers a collapse
- Positions 6 through 9 contribute fewer than 30 runs combined
This is not a talent problem in isolation. It is a depth problem at its core. Zimbabwe lack one genuine No. 6 who can convert starts under sustained pressure and absorb the shock of early wickets falling.
By contrast, New Zealand’s batting in this match showed four different batters capable of 150-plus from different positions, with completely different styles. Conway (153), Nicholls (150), Ravindra (165) all arrived under different match situations and all delivered.
What Zimbabwe Must Change Before the Next Series
The zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team match scorecard reveals exactly what needs to change structurally:
- Stabilize the opening pair Bennett’s run of ducks against pace needs a structural response, not just selection rotation
- Develop a middle-order anchor at No. 5 or 6 who absorbs pressure after top-order collapses
- Reduce reliance on Taylor and Williams as the only reliable partnership builders both are experienced but aging
- Create a second pace option capable of going at under 3.50 in Test cricket
- Invest in powerplay batting training for T20 formats losing 4 wickets in 6 overs is unacceptable in a chase
Forbes described Zimbabwe’s Test struggles as partly a consequence of cricket’s systemic greed smaller nations receive less investment, less match time, and fewer development pathways. The structural decay on the scorecard is a reflection of structural neglect off it.
Full Series Result: New Zealand in Zimbabwe 2025
New Zealand won the Test series 2-0 with the largest combined margin in bilateral history.
| Format | Matches | NZ Wins | ZIM Wins | Draws |
| Tests | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| T20Is | Multiple | Dominant | — | — |
What Happens Next: Future Implications
Three things this series confirmed for the future of both sides:
New Zealand remain elite in overseas Test conditions. Conway’s consistency, Nicholls returning to form, and Ravindra’s emergence as a long-format centerpiece means their batting depth will only deepen heading into more demanding tours.
Zakary Foulkes is not a debutant anymore. He is a wicket-taking Test asset whose debut figures of 9/75 will follow him into his career as a statement of intent.
Zimbabwe’s decline risk is real. Six consecutive lopsided losses since their win over Bangladesh in Sylhet is a trend, not a slump. Without structural reform investment in domestic cricket, development of batting depth, and creation of a second reliable pace option the scorelines will continue to tell the same story.
Read More About – Bangladesh National Cricket Team Vs India National Cricket Team Match Scorecard The Complete Guide to a Rivalry That Refuses to Be Predictable
Reality Check: The Honest Assessment
Zimbabwe’s issue is not talent alone. When the top order collapses inside 10 overs, there is no middle-order recovery system strong enough to absorb pressure. The scorecard does not just record defeat it maps the specific points where the structure breaks. Until those points are reinforced, the zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team match scorecard will continue to show margins measured in innings, not runs.
New Zealand did not just outplay Zimbabwe in 2025. They exposed how fragile Zimbabwe’s Test structure still is and did so comprehensively across three days, in all three innings, with bat and ball.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What was the final result of the Zimbabwe vs New Zealand 2nd Test 2025?
Ans. New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 359 runs at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, August 7–9, 2025. It is New Zealand’s biggest Test victory ever.
Q2: What was Zimbabwe’s score in the 2nd Test vs New Zealand 2025?
Ans. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 125 in the first innings and 117 in the second innings. New Zealand declared at 601/3.
Q3: Who scored the most runs in the NZ vs Zimbabwe 2nd Test 2025?
Ans. Rachin Ravindra top-scored with an unbeaten 165 off 139 balls (SR: 118.71). Devon Conway made 153 and Henry Nicholls made 150 not out.
Q4: Who took the most wickets in the Zimbabwe national cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team match?
Ans. Zakary Foulkes took 9/75 across both innings 4/38 in the first and 5/37 in the second on his Test debut. Matt Henry took 5/40 in the first innings.
Q5: Is 9/75 a record for a New Zealand debutant in Tests?
Ans. Yes. Zakary Foulkes’ figures of 9/75 are the best match figures by a New Zealand debutant in Test history.
Q6: How many times have Zimbabwe beaten New Zealand in Tests?
Ans. Zimbabwe have never beaten New Zealand in a Test match. All five results from 2025 back to 2005 are New Zealand wins. Zimbabwe’s last non-defeat was a draw in 1997.
Q7: What was the T20I result between Zimbabwe and New Zealand in 2025?
Ans. New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 60 runs in Match 6 of the Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series on July 24, 2025. NZ scored 190/6; Zimbabwe were bowled out for 130.
Q8: Who won Player of the Match in ZIM vs NZ 2nd Test 2025?
Ans. Rachin Ravindra was the standout performer with his unbeaten 165 off 139 balls. Zakary Foulkes’ 9-wicket debut haul was equally match-defining.
Q9: What was Matt Henry’s bowling record in the NZ tour of Zimbabwe 2025?
Ans. Matt Henry took 6/39 in the 1st Test first innings and 5/40 in the 2nd Test first innings, making him one of the series’ most effective pace bowlers across both matches.
Q10: Why did Zimbabwe lose so heavily to New Zealand in the 2025 Test series?
Ans. Zimbabwe’s recurring batting collapses losing key wickets inside the first 10 overs combined with a bowling attack unable to contain a deep New Zealand batting order created the conditions for consecutive innings defeats. Forbes and ESPN both identified structural investment gaps in Zimbabwe cricket as root causes beyond performance alone.
