The New Zealand cricket team, the Black Caps, played a controversial tour of Zimbabwe in August and September 2005, including some warm-up matches in Namibia. They played 2 Test matches against Zimbabwe and also participated in a triangular Limited Overs International competition with Zimbabwe and India.

Political debate

Concern for human rights violations in Zimbabwe, in particular the slum clearances known as Operation Murambatsvina, prompted calls by the Green Party and human rights advocates including Amnesty International for the cricket team to boycott the tour. The New Zealand Government made it clear that the scheduled return visit of the Zimbabwean cricket team to New Zealand in December 2005 would not occur as entry to New Zealand would be denied to the Zimbabwean players. The Black Caps were obliged to tour by the International Cricket Council, and faced a fine of over NZ$3 million if they did not tour. The ICC was asked to waive this fine but refused. It was also claimed that withdrawal from the tour would greatly harm New Zealand's chances of co-hosting the 2011 Cricket World Cup with a potential loss of $NZ20 million. Two opinion polls showed a majority of New Zealanders opposed the tour. The TVNZ/Colmar Brunton poll taken on 30 June found 77 percent opposed, and a Fairfax New Zealand/ACNielsen poll on 18 July showed 53 percent opposed, (NZ Herald). Parliament voted with a substantial majority on 26 July to ask the Black Caps to abandon the tour. Only ACT and the Māori Party voted against the resolution. The two Tests against Zimbabwe were being followed by a tri-nations One Day International series, with India making up the threesome.

Schedule (Zimbabwe leg)

Results

Matches against Namibia

Namibia v New Zealand, 30 July

Namibia v New Zealand, 31 July

Test series

First Test

Second Test

One-day internationals

Please see Videocon Tri-Series 2005 for a full treatment of the one-day international matches with Zimbabwe and India.