From head-to-head to most runs: West Indies vs Zimbabwe Test records

The West Indies cricket team and the Zimbabwe cricket team have a brief history of facing each other in Test matches. While these matches have been few and far between, the Caribbean side has dominated the fixture.

The first West Indies vs Zimbabwe Test was played in March 2000 at the Port of Spain. Legendary pacer Curtly Ambrose picked up seven wickets in a low-scoring match to hand the West Indian side the victory.

Overall, 11 Tests have been played between West Indies and Zimbabwe. However, Zimbabwe have never beaten West Indies, who have been dominant in this head-to-head. The first encounter was in fact the only time the Chevrons came close to winning against the Caribbean team. 

West Indies vs Zimbabwe head-to-head in Tests

West Indies vs Zimbabwe Test records

Highest team total

While wins have eluded Zimbabwe in this fixture, the Chevrons hold the record for the highest team total. Zimbabwe smashed 563/9d in the second innings of the Harare Test in July 2001. Hamilton Masakadza was the headline-maker with 119 runs off 316 balls, while Craig Wishart and Andy Blignaut were dismissed in the 90s.

Zimbabwe also registered 507/9d at the same venue against the West Indies in November 2003.

Meanwhile, West Indies’ highest team total in this head-to-head is 559/6 achieved at Bulawayo in the above-mentioned July 2001 tour of Zimbabwe. Chris Gayle, known for his T20 exploits, smashed a 255-ball 175 and captain Carl Hooper scored 149 runs in quick time.

Lowest team total

Zimbabwe registered the lowest team total in this fixture in Tests in the first-ever match between the two nations. The Chevrons were knocked over for 63 runs in the run chase, courtesy of Curtly Ambrose’s 3/8.

In fact, the African nation has six of the seven lowest team totals in this head-to-head.

West Indies’ lowest team total against Zimbabwe in this format is 128, registered at Bulawayo in November 2003. However, a mammoth first innings score of 481 set up a 128-run victory for the Brian Lara-led team.

Average first innings score

West Indies vs Zimbabwe Test matches have been a mixture of high-scoring and low-scoring encounters. The Caribbean nation has shown greater consistency with the bat over the years.

The average first innings score in this fixture is 270, recorded from 11 Test matches.

Most runs

West Indies’ Chris Gayle has scored the most runs in this fixture. The former opener scored 498 runs in eight matches, averaging 45.27. The Jamaican registered two centuries and one fifty in Tests against the Chevrons.

Zimbabwe’s Hamilton Masakadza is second on the list with 428 runs, while Craig Wishart amassed 331 runs to rank fourth. Meanwhile, Shivnarine Chanderpaul (393) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (297) are the other West Indians in the top five.

Most wickets

Ray Price, the former Zimbabwe left-arm spinner, leads the wicket-taking charts in this head-to-head. In only five matches, Price took 24 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls, at a stunning economy rate of 2.82.

His fellow countryman Heath Streak follows with 21 wickets in six Tests. Shane Shillingford was the most effective West Indian bowler, scalping 19 wickets in just two matches to rank third on this list.

The top 10 features seven West Indians and three Zimbabwean cricketers.

Highest individual score

West Indies’ Tagenarine Chanderpaul, notched the highest individual score in the West Indies vs Zimbabwe Tests. The southpaw smashed unbeaten 207 runs off 467 balls at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo in February 2023.

West Indians’ Brain Lara (191), Kraigg Brathwaite (182), Chris Gayle (175) along with Caribbean all-rounder Carl Hooper (149) complete the top five.

Best bowling figures in an innings

Shane Shillingford and Ray Price are the only two bowlers to have taken a six-for in an innings in this fixture. 

Shillingford, however, holds the best bowling figures, thanks to his more economical spell of 6/49 at Bridgetown in March 2013. The West Indian pacer also took two five-fors in this fixture.

Meanwhile, Price scalped the first one at Harare in November 2003, while conceding 73 runs. The Zimbabwean spinner also picked up five wickets in an innings in this rivalry.

Best bowling figures in a match

Shillingford and Price once again feature as the duo are the only cricketers with 10-wicket haul in a Test in the West Indies-Zimbabwe matches. Shillingford, yet again, pips Price for the top spot with figures of 10/93, compared to the latter’s 10/161.

While Shillingford achieved the feat at Roseau in March 2013, Price derailed West Indies at Harare in November 2003.

The duo have also scalped a nine-wicket haul in a match, each.

Highest partnership

Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul hold the record for the highest partnership in this head-to-head. The West Indian pair registered a 336-run stand in the first Test of the 2023 Zimbabwe tour.

Meanwhile, Daren Ganga and Chris Gayle’s partnership of 214 at Bulawayo in 2001 ranks second.

Murray Goodwin and Andy Flower scored 176 runs while batting together at Kingston in March 2000. It remains the highest partnership by a Zimbabwean pair.

Photo credits: Alamy