New Zealand have secured their largest Test victory, defeating Zimbabwe by an innings and 359 runs in Bulawayo. The result also marked a personal milestone for 24-year-old Zakary Foulkes, who claimed the best bowling figures by a New Zealander on debut.
The tourists declared overnight at 601 for 3, leaving Zimbabwe 476 runs behind. The home side folded in just 28.1 overs of the final innings, with Foulkes taking 5 for 37 to complete match figures of 9 for 75. His performance came after Matt Henry’s early breakthroughs and Jacob Duffy’s first Test wicket. Stand-in captain Mitchell Santner did not need to bowl at all.
Zimbabwe’s batting struggles were clear from the start. Brian Bennett was bowled by Henry’s inswinger in the first over. Brendan Taylor briefly steadied things but edged to second slip soon after. Sean Williams’ dismissal — a leading edge caught by Duffy off his own bowling — added to the pressure.
Nick Welch offered resistance with 47 not out, yet no other batter passed 10. The partnerships were small, the footwork hesitant. Foulkes produced two deliveries that cut in sharply from outside off to remove Vincent Masekesa and Trevor Gwandu, both beaten completely. His fifth wicket came when Blessing Muzarabani top-edged a pull to square leg.
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Duffy nearly ended the innings earlier but overstepped on what would have been the final wicket. Devon Conway, the series’ leading run-scorer, took the catch at gully moments later to seal the match just before the scheduled lunch break.
The series leaves Zimbabwe with questions. They have now lost their last six Tests, all four innings in this series ending under 170 runs. The team will shift focus to the T20 World Cup Qualifiers they host in September.
New Zealand’s tour finished unbeaten across formats. Conway, Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra all scored centuries, while Henry’s 16 wickets confirmed his status as attack leader. The next Test assignment for New Zealand will be at home against West Indies in November, starting their 2025-2027 World Test Championship campaign.