West Indies vs Zimbabwe Cricket Timeline: Complete H2H History (1983–2026)
The west indies cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team timeline is one of cricket’s most one-sided yet genuinely instructive rivalries. West Indies have never lost a Test series against Zimbabwe, lead the ODI head-to-head 36–10 across 49 matches, and won their most recent T20 World Cup encounter by 107 runs– the second-largest winning margin in T20 World Cup history. Yet Zimbabwe have beaten West Indies in a World Cup. They have won an ODI series. They claimed the only T20I victory in this fixture’s history. The dominance is real. So is the occasional upset.
WI vs ZIM At a Glance
Quick-scan summary for the complete West Indies vs Zimbabwe head-to-head record across all formats:
| Stat | Detail |
| First Match | 1983 Cricket World Cup |
| Tests | West Indies 8- Zimbabwe 0 (4 drawn) |
| ODIs | West Indies 36- Zimbabwe 10 (1 tied, 1 NR) |
| T20Is | West Indies 4- Zimbabwe 1 |
| Largest Win | West Indies by 107 runs (T20 World Cup 2026) |
| Highest Team Total | West Indies 254/6 (T20 World Cup 2026) |
| Highest Individual Score | Tagenarine Chanderpaul 207* (Test, Bulawayo 2023) |
| Zimbabwe’s Only T20I Win | Port of Spain, February 28, 2010 (by 26 runs) |
| Only ODI Series ZIM Won | 2003/04 in Zimbabwe (3–2) |
Complete Match-by-Match Timeline
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The west indies cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team timeline begins in 1983 and runs through four decades of bilateral series, World Cup encounters, and landmark performances. The table below provides a year-by-year chronological record- the format that most search users are looking for and most competing articles fail to deliver cleanly.
| Year | Milestone |
| 1983 | First ODI- Zimbabwe’s debut at the Cricket World Cup |
| 1992 | WI vs ZIM at World Cup- West Indies win |
| 1996 | World Cup encounter- West Indies win |
| 1999/00 | First-ever Test series- Zimbabwe tour West Indies (WI won 2–0) |
| 2001 | First Test series in Zimbabwe- WI won 1–0, 1 drawn |
| 2003/04 | Zimbabwe home ODI series- ZIM won 3–2 (Zimbabwe’s only ODI series win) |
| 2003/04 | Zimbabwe home Test series- WI won 1–0, 1 drawn |
| 2007/08 | West Indies tour Zimbabwe ODI series- WI won 3–1 |
| 2009/10 | Zimbabwe tour West Indies ODI series- WI won 4–1 |
| 2010 | Zimbabwe’s only T20I win– Port of Spain, WI lost by 26 runs |
| 2012/13 | West Indies home Test series- WI won 2–0 |
| 2012/13 | West Indies home ODI series- WI won 3–0 |
| 2013 | West Indies T20I bilateral series- WI won 2–0 |
| 2015 | Cricket World Cup, Canberra- Gayle 215, WI won by 73 runs (D/L) |
| 2017/18 | West Indies tour Zimbabwe Test series- WI won 1–0, 1 drawn |
| 2022 | T20 World Cup, Hobart- WI won by 31 runs |
| 2022/23 | West Indies tour Zimbabwe Test series- WI won 1–0, 1 drawn |
| 2024 | Zimbabwe home ODI series- WI won 3–2 |
| 2024/25 | West Indies home ODI series- WI won 5–2 |
| 2026 | T20 World Cup Super 8, Mumbai- WI won by 107 runs, WI scored 254/6 |
Head-to-Head Records: All Formats
West Indies lead every format of the west indies cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team timeline– Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. The head-to-head numbers confirm a clear structural advantage that has held across four decades.
Overall Format-by-Format Record
| Format | Matches | WI Won | ZIM Won | Drawn / Tied / NR |
| Tests | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 drawn |
| ODIs | 49 | 36 | 10 | 1 tied, 1 NR |
| T20Is | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
Head-to-Head by Decade
| Decade | WI ODI Wins | ZIM ODI Wins | WI Test Wins | ZIM Test Wins | WI T20I Wins | ZIM T20I Wins |
| 1983–1999 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000–2010 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2011–2020 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021–2026 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Home vs Away ODI Record
Zimbabwe’s ODI wins against West Indies have come almost entirely at home, where Harare Sports Club’s lower bounce and slower outfield favour their bowling and batting style. West Indies’ 86% Caribbean win rate against Zimbabwe confirms the venue variable is the biggest determinant of results in this ODI rivalry.
| Venue | Matches | WI Won | ZIM Won | Tied/NR |
| In West Indies (Caribbean) | 22 | 19 | 2 | 1 |
| In Zimbabwe | 18 | 10 | 8 | 1 |
| Neutral (World Cups) | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
Test Cricket: West Indies’ Six-Series Unbeaten Run
West Indies have never lost a Test series against Zimbabwe– winning all six bilateral Test series between 1999 and 2023. This is the starkest statistic in the entire west indies cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team timeline.
First Tests (1999/00): Zimbabwe’s Strong Start, Weak Finish
Zimbabwe toured the Caribbean in 1999/00 for the first-ever Test series between these teams. In the first Test at Port of Spain, Zimbabwe posted 236 in their first innings and took a 49-run lead. West Indies then set Zimbabwe just 99 to win- and Zimbabwe collapsed to 63 all out. West Indies won by 35 runs. Curtly Ambrose won the Player of the Match award. West Indies won the series 2–0. What the scoreline does not show is how competitive Zimbabwe were for the first three innings before their batting collapsed under chase pressure- a pattern that would repeat across multiple series.
2001: First Tests in Zimbabwe- West Indies Highest Team Total
The 2001 two-Test series in Zimbabwe produced one West Indies win and one draw. West Indies posted 559/6 at Bulawayo– their highest team total against Zimbabwe in Test cricket. Chris Gayle‘s accumulation in this series began what became the highest individual run tally in West Indies vs Zimbabwe Test history.
2003/04: Ray Price’s Career-Defining Series
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The 2003/04 Zimbabwe home Test series was the most contested of the entire rivalry. Ray Price took 24 wickets in 5 Tests at an economy rate of 2.82– the highest wicket count for any Zimbabwe bowler against West Indies in Tests, and a performance that has never been matched since. West Indies still won the series 1–0 with one drawn. Heath Streak contributed 21 wickets across 6 Tests in this period- the second-highest bowling tally for Zimbabwe in this fixture. The Streak-Price combination in 2003/04 represented Zimbabwe’s best chance at a Test series win, and West Indies navigated it.
2012/13: West Indies Whitewash
Shane Shillingford took 19 wickets across just 2 Tests– the highest single-series wicket haul for any West Indian against Zimbabwe. West Indies won 2–0. This was Zimbabwe’s weakest Test performance of the entire rivalry, arriving just one year after Zimbabwe’s return from their 2005–2011 Test suspension.
2022/23: Chanderpaul’s 207* and an Innings Victory
The February 2023 series at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo was the last Test series between these sides. Tagenarine Chanderpaul scored an unbeaten 207 off 467 balls– the highest individual score in West Indies vs Zimbabwe Test cricket history. West Indies won by an innings and 4 runs in the second Test, dismissing Zimbabwe for 115 and 173.
Complete Test Series Record
| Season | Venue | Result |
| 1999/00 | West Indies | WI won 2–0 |
| 2001 | Zimbabwe | WI won 1–0 (1 drawn) |
| 2003/04 | Zimbabwe | WI won 1–0 (1 drawn) |
| 2012/13 | West Indies | WI won 2–0 |
| 2017/18 | Zimbabwe | WI won 1–0 (1 drawn) |
| 2022/23 | Zimbabwe | WI won 1–0 (1 drawn) |
ODI Cricket: 49 Matches, Four Decades
The ODI chapter of the west indies cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team timeline is the longest and most statistically complete– 49 matches across bilateral series, triangular tournaments, and six Cricket World Cup campaigns. West Indies lead 36–10 with one tied and one no result.
Era 1- 1983–1999: Foundation (WI 10, ZIM 4)
West Indies won all 6 Cricket World Cup encounters against Zimbabwe– at the 1983, 1992, and 1996 editions- without conceding a single World Cup defeat across this era. Zimbabwe’s 4 wins came in bilateral encounters, confirming they were more competitive in series cricket than in knockout tournament settings.
Era 2- 2000–2010: Zimbabwe’s Most Competitive Decade (WI 12, ZIM 5)
This was Zimbabwe’s most productive decade in ODI cricket against the West Indies. The 2003/04 home ODI series ended with ZIM 3–2– Zimbabwe’s only ODI series win in this rivalry. Andy Flower, Heath Streak, and Hamilton Masakadza were all operating near their peak. By 2007/08, West Indies recovered to win 3–1 in Zimbabwe. The 2009/10 Caribbean series ended 4–1 in West Indies’ favour, with West Indies winning one match by 141 runs- confirming that even in Zimbabwe’s competitive decade, the Caribbean home record remained heavily in West Indies’ favour.
Era 3- 2011–2020: West Indies Restore the Gap (WI 10, ZIM 2)
The Chris Gayle–Marlon Samuels 372-run partnership at Canberra during the 2015 Cricket World Cup- where Gayle scored 215 off 147 balls with 16 sixes and Samuels made 133*- remains the highest partnership for any wicket in ODI cricket history against Zimbabwe. West Indies won that match by 73 runs (D/L method). The 2012/13 home ODI series produced a 3–0 whitewash for West Indies. Zimbabwe won just 2 ODIs across the entire decade.
Era 4- 2021–2026: West Indies Lead Without Conceding a Series (WI 4, ZIM 0)
West Indies won the 2024/25 Caribbean ODI series 5–2. Zimbabwe claimed 2 wins in Harare conditions in 2024 (3–2 loss), but could not win a series. The pattern from 2021 onwards shows West Indies winning every ODI series- the gap in white-ball depth has widened in the post-COVID franchise cricket era.
Complete ODI Series Record
| Season | Venue | Result |
| 2001 | West Indies | WI 4–1 |
| 2003/04 | Zimbabwe | ZIM 3–2 |
| 2007/08 | Zimbabwe | WI 3–1 |
| 2009/10 | West Indies | WI 4–1 |
| 2012/13 | West Indies | WI 3–0 |
| 2024 | Zimbabwe | WI 3–2 |
| 2024/25 | West Indies | WI 5–2 |
T20I Cricket: Five Matches, Maximum Drama
In five T20I meetings, the west indies cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team timeline has produced one upset, two dominant sweeps, and one record-breaking World Cup demolition. West Indies lead 4–1.
| Date | Venue | Result | Margin |
| Feb 28, 2010 | Port of Spain | Zimbabwe won | 26 runs |
| Mar 2, 2013 | North Sound | West Indies won | 8 wickets |
| Mar 3, 2013 | North Sound | West Indies won | 41 runs |
| Oct 19, 2022 | Hobart (T20 WC) | West Indies won | 31 runs |
| Feb 23, 2026 | Mumbai (T20 WC) | West Indies won | 107 runs |
Zimbabwe’s Only T20I Win (2010)
On February 28, 2010 in Port of Spain, West Indies scored just 79/7– their lowest T20I total against Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe chased it down to win by 26 runs. Graeme Cremer took 3/11– the best bowling figure for a Zimbabwe bowler in T20I cricket against West Indies.
West Indies’ 2013 T20I Sweep
In March 2013 at North Sound, West Indies won both matches to take the bilateral series 2–0. Lendl Simmons scored 63* in the first T20I- the highest individual T20I score by any batsman in West Indies vs Zimbabwe history. Simmons accumulated 106 runs across the two-match series.
2026 T20 World Cup: A Historic Demolition
February 23, 2026. Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Super Eights, Group 1.
Zimbabwe had qualified for the Super 8 stage by topping Group B– their best ICC group stage result in years. West Indies responded by setting a T20 World Cup landmark. Shimron Hetmyer made 85 off 34 deliveries. Rovman Powell added 59. West Indies hit 19 sixes. The final total: 254/6- the second-highest team total in men’s T20 World Cup history. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 147. Gudakesh Motie took 4/28. Akeal Hosein took 3/28. The margin: 107 runs– the largest winning margin in any West Indies vs Zimbabwe match across all formats.
Rivalry Records Hub
Test Cricket Records
Most Runs in Tests (WI vs ZIM)
| Rank | Player | Team | Runs | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 498 | 8 | 45.27 |
| 2 | Hamilton Masakadza | Zimbabwe | 428 | 5 | 42.80 |
| 3 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul | West Indies | 393 | 7 | 49.12 |
| 4 | Craig Wishart | Zimbabwe | 331 | 5 | 33.10 |
| 5 | Ramnaresh Sarwan | West Indies | 297 | 6 | 37.12 |
Most Wickets in Tests (WI vs ZIM)
| Rank | Player | Team | Wickets | Matches | Economy |
| 1 | Ray Price | Zimbabwe | 24 | 5 | 2.82 |
| 2 | Heath Streak | Zimbabwe | 21 | 6 | 3.41 |
| 3 | Shane Shillingford | West Indies | 19 | 2 | 3.88 |
| 4 | Curtly Ambrose | West Indies | 16 | 4 | 2.13 |
Highest Individual Test Score: Tagenarine Chanderpaul- 207* (West Indies, Bulawayo, February 2023)
Highest Team Totals (Tests)
| Total | Team | Venue |
| 563/9d | Zimbabwe | Harare |
| 559/6 | West Indies | Bulawayo, 2001 |
| 381/8d | West Indies | — |
| 379/9d | Zimbabwe | — |
ODI Cricket Records
The ODI records section is the most statistically rich chapter of the west indies cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team timeline, given that 49 matches have been played across bilateral and World Cup formats.
Most Runs in ODIs (WI vs ZIM)
| Rank | Player | Team | Runs | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 1,046 | 18 | 65.37 |
| 2 | Hamilton Masakadza | Zimbabwe | 789 | 29 | 27.55 |
| 3 | Brian Lara | West Indies | 634 | 14 | 52.83 |
| 4 | Tatenda Taibu | Zimbabwe | 521 | 22 | 26.05 |
| 5 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul | West Indies | 498 | 15 | 41.50 |
Most Wickets in ODIs (WI vs ZIM)
| Rank | Player | Team | Wickets | Matches | Economy |
| 1 | Heath Streak | Zimbabwe | 38 | 28 | 4.21 |
| 2 | Curtly Ambrose | West Indies | 29 | 16 | 3.42 |
| 3 | Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | 18 | 13 | 5.10 |
| 4 | Jason Holder | West Indies | 16 | 11 | 4.88 |
Highest Individual ODI Score: Chris Gayle- 215 (West Indies vs Zimbabwe, 2015 World Cup, Canberra) Highest ODI Partnership: Chris Gayle (215) and Marlon Samuels (133*)- 372 runs for the 2nd wicket, 2015 Cricket World Cup, Canberra- the highest partnership for any wicket against Zimbabwe in ODI cricket history
T20I Cricket Records
Most Runs in T20Is (WI vs ZIM)
| Player | Team | Runs | Matches | Average |
| Lendl Simmons | West Indies | 106 | 2 | 106.00 |
| Hamilton Masakadza | Zimbabwe | 106 | 3 | 35.33 |
| Shimron Hetmyer | West Indies | 85 | 1 | 85.00 |
Most Wickets in T20Is (WI vs ZIM)
| Player | Team | Wickets | Matches | Economy |
| Daren Sammy | West Indies | 5 | 3 | 7.42 |
| Gudakesh Motie | West Indies | 4 | 1 | 5.60 |
| Graeme Cremer | Zimbabwe | 3 | 2 | 5.50 |
Highest Individual T20I Score: Lendl Simmons- 63* (West Indies, North Sound, 2013)
Best T20I Bowling Figure: Daren Sammy- 5/26 (West Indies, Port of Spain, 2010)
Lowest T20I Total: West Indies- 79/7, Port of Spain, 2010
Highest T20I Total: West Indies- 254/6, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, February 23, 2026
Largest Wins in the Rivalry
| Margin | Format | Venue | Year |
| 107 runs | T20I (WC) | Mumbai | 2026 |
| 73 runs (D/L) | ODI (WC) | Canberra | 2015 |
| 141 runs | ODI | Caribbean | 2009/10 |
| Innings & 4 runs | Test | Bulawayo | 2023 |
Era Analysis: How the Rivalry Has Evolved
The west indies cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team timeline is not a flat story of permanent dominance– it shifts across eras as both teams’ resources changed. Understanding these phases explains the head-to-head numbers in full context.
1983–1999: West Indies Dominant, Zimbabwe Learning
West Indies won all 6 Cricket World Cup encounters against Zimbabwe- at the 1983, 1992, and 1996 editions- without a single World Cup loss. Zimbabwe’s ODI win count stood at just 4 by the close of 1999. The structural gap was widest in this era– West Indies were a multi-time world champion with Brian Lara, Curtly Ambrose, and Courtney Walsh at their peak.
2000–2010: Zimbabwe’s Closest Window
This was Zimbabwe’s most competitive decade. Ray Price took 24 Test wickets. Heath Streak took 21. Zimbabwe won an ODI series in 2003/04 (3–2) and secured their only T20I win in 2010. West Indies were experiencing governance instability– contract disputes and player unavailability- which contributed to reduced margins in away fixtures during this period.
2011–2020: The West Indies Power-Hitting Era
Zimbabwe’s return from their 2005–2011 Test suspension coincided with a generation change. The Flower-Streak era had ended. West Indies, following their 2012 T20 World Cup title, rebuilt around CPL-hardened power hitters- Gayle, Pollard, Brathwaite, and Narine. The 2012/13 ODI whitewash (3–0) and Test series win (2–0) confirmed the gap had returned. Zimbabwe won just 2 ODIs in this entire decade against the West Indies.
2021–2026: Zimbabwe Rebuild, West Indies Accelerate
Zimbabwe qualified for the 2026 T20 World Cup Super 8 stage by topping Group B– genuine structural progress. West Indies responded with 254/6 and a 107-run win, setting a T20 World Cup record. In bilateral cricket, Zimbabwe claimed ODI wins in home conditions but could not win a series. The Test series of 2022/23- Chanderpaul’s 207* and an innings victory- confirmed West Indies’ continued red-ball superiority.
FAQs:
Q1: What is the West Indies vs Zimbabwe cricket head-to-head record?
A1: West Indies lead across all formats- 8 wins in 12 Tests (4 drawn), 36 wins in 49 ODIs (10 for Zimbabwe), and 4 wins in 5 T20Is. West Indies have never lost a Test series against Zimbabwe.
Q2: When did West Indies and Zimbabwe first play cricket?
A2: Their first match was on June 13, 1983, at the Cricket World Cup- Zimbabwe’s debut ICC tournament. It was also Zimbabwe’s first-ever international ODI.
Q3: Has Zimbabwe ever won a Test match against the West Indies?
A3: No. Zimbabwe have never won a Test match against West Indies in 12 Test matches across six series from 1999 to 2023.
Q4: What is Zimbabwe’s only T20I win over the West Indies?
A4: Zimbabwe beat West Indies by 26 runs in Port of Spain on February 28, 2010. West Indies scored just 79/7 in that match- their lowest T20I total against Zimbabwe. Graeme Cremer took 3/11.
Q5: What happened in the WI vs ZIM 2026 T20 World Cup match?
A5: West Indies scored 254/6– the second-highest total in men’s T20 World Cup history- and bowled Zimbabwe out for 147, winning by 107 runs at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Shimron Hetmyer scored 85 off 34 balls. Gudakesh Motie took 4/28 and Akeal Hosein took 3/28.
Q6: Who has scored the most ODI runs in WI vs ZIM history?
A6: Chris Gayle- 1,046 ODI runs against Zimbabwe at an average of 65.37, including his record 215 off 147 balls at the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Canberra.
Q7: Who has taken the most Test wickets in WI vs ZIM history?
A7: Ray Price (Zimbabwe)- 24 wickets in 5 Tests at an economy rate of 2.82, including two five-wicket hauls. It remains the highest wicket tally for any bowler from either side in this Test fixture.
Q8: What is the highest individual Test score in WI vs ZIM history?
A8: Tagenarine Chanderpaul- 207* for West Indies, scored at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo in February 2023.
Q9: What is the highest ODI partnership in WI vs ZIM cricket history?
A9: Chris Gayle (215) and Marlon Samuels (133*)- 372 runs for the 2nd wicket at the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Canberra. It is the highest partnership for any wicket against Zimbabwe in ODI cricket history.
Q10: Has Zimbabwe ever won an ODI series against the West Indies?
A10: Yes- once. Zimbabwe won the 2003/04 home ODI series 3–2, during the peak of the Flower-Streak generation. It remains the only ODI series win for Zimbabwe in this rivalry’s history.
