SHARJAH – Zimbabwe captain Brian Bennett expects a slow pitch that will offer turn later in the match when the African side begin their two-Test series against Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Bennett, who will lead Zimbabwe in a Test for the first time, inspected the surface on the eve of the match.

“It does look a little bit damp, it still looks a little bit less grass, but I think it’s probably going to be a little bit slow the first couple of days and then it might get some turn later on,” he said.

“There hasn’t been a Test match played here since 2016, so I think both teams are going to have to work it out day by day or session by session.”

Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan in their previous Test meeting, in Harare in October 2025.

Bennett acknowledged that conditions would be different this time, but said the fundamentals of the game would remain important.

“If we just stick to our processes, we bat well, we bowl well, we field well and we take our catches, I think that’s going to be the game changer at the end of the day,” he said.

“We’ve got very skilful bowlers up front with Blessing [Muzarabani] and we’ve got some good batters as well, top order and middle order. So I think it’s going to be a great Test.”

The squad’s red-ball preparations began before the white-ball matches ended. Players who were not part of the T20I squad, including Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine, remained in the UAE to train.

“The guys who weren’t a part of the T20 squad did stay and did do some red-ball training as well, and we’ve had a good three days of training after the T20s,” Bennett said.

Bennett also outlined his targets for the opening day, depending on which side bats first.

“If we do happen to bat first, the ideal situation will be none down before lunch in that first session. And if we’re bowling, if we try and take two or three early wickets, I think that will get us right in the game early on.”

The series marks the end of Zimbabwe’s month-long tour of the UAE. For the 2027 World Cup co-hosts, it is a valuable opportunity to test themselves in Asian conditions.

The second Test will be played from 13 to 17 November.