Australia completed a 3–0 one-day international series sweep over Zimbabwe after Nathan Ellis and Spencer Johnson survived a tense finish to secure a one-wicket victory with one ball remaining at Harare Sports Club.
The result carried an added personal connection for Australia captain Mitchell Marsh. His father, Geoff Marsh, coached Zimbabwe in the past, and the younger Marsh spent part of his childhood living in Harare.
The result denied Zimbabwe a rare and deeply significant win in front of a festive home crowd. The Chevrons had Australia nine wickets down and needed only nine runs from the final over, but Wessly Madhevere’s dropped catch in the penultimate over was followed by a six from Ellis off the first ball of the last over. The Australian No. 9 then guided his side home with an unbeaten 36 from 44 balls.
Australia finished on 272 for nine from 49.5 overs after Zimbabwe had posted 271 for eight. Ellis and Johnson added 27 unbeaten runs for the tenth wicket, a stand that began when Australia still required 27 for victory and appeared to be running out of recognised batters.
Josh Inglis had earlier kept the chase alive with a superb 103 from 102 balls, his second one-day international century. He struck 11 fours and formed the foundation of Australia’s pursuit after Brad Evans removed both Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh inside the first 19 balls.
Inglis and Alex Carey rebuilt the innings with an 85-run partnership, but Zimbabwe repeatedly dragged Australia back into danger. Carey made 34 before Madhevere took a sharp catch, and Australia lost wickets at regular intervals as the target came closer. Inglis eventually fell to Sikandar Raza in the 42nd over, with 45 runs still needed.
That dismissal left Ellis with the responsibility of finishing the job. He had already taken three wickets for 50 runs and was now forced to bat deep into the innings with Australia’s last recognised partners gone. Johnson, Australia’s No. 11, contributed seven not out from 13 balls as the pair reduced the target to 17 from the final two overs.
The pressure swung decisively when Ellis launched Madhevere over midwicket for six. He and Johnson then completed the winning single with one delivery to spare, although they briefly ran a second run before realising it was not required.
“To do it for your country and with my mate Spence at the other end there, it was pretty cool,” Ellis said after walking off with 36no.
“It was just a matter of staying in there and taking it as deep as we can, which we managed to do.
“We probably let it get a little bit too close for our liking, but the way it shaped up with who had overs left, I thought if we could get through the quicks, I knew there was some spin to come. Thankfully it worked out.
“We spoke about sort of getting it to 15 off the last two (overs). It was probably a little bit more than I would have liked. But got the six off the first ball (of the last over) which relieved all the all the pressure.
“Then it was a matter of just backing ‘Spon’ to get down the other end with me. We ran two at the end, and we needed one, which the boys have given me stick about.”
Zimbabwe’s defeat was made more painful by the opportunities that came before the final over. Madhevere had already dropped Inglis on 48 after a leaping attempt at backward point, although he later redeemed himself temporarily by taking a superb catch to remove Carey. He also bowled Matthew Renshaw with a skidding off-break.
In the penultimate over, however, Madhevere got underneath a high Ellis shot at deep midwicket and failed to hold on. The chance would have ended the match because Ellis was Australia’s ninth wicket. Instead, he remained at the crease and was handed the final over only four deliveries later.
Raza chose Madhevere despite Graeme Cremer having one over left. Cremer, playing his first ODI since 2018, had taken two wickets for 53 runs in nine overs and had troubled Australia’s lower order. Raza said Madhevere had volunteered for the responsibility and was in the right frame of mind to accept it.
“I think [Madhevere] was in the right frame of mind,” Raza said. “He wanted to win the game; I wanted him to win the game… It takes a lot of courage to even raise your hand to say, ‘I’ll bowl the last over’.
“He said he’s good to bowl, and that’s all I needed… I’ll back him again and again and again until he gets it right. We don’t leave a man when he’s down. These are the games, these are the moments you want to be part of to win it for the team…. We had plenty of chances to close the game before [the final over]; unfortunately, we didn’t take those.”
Raza finished unbeaten on 81 from 72 balls, having struck seven fours and one six. Craig Ervine made 59 and Innocent Kaia 55 before retiring hurt with a hamstring injury while Zimbabwe were 148 for three. Kaia and Ervine had put together an 80-run partnership, but Zimbabwe lost momentum after Ervine was caught trying to accelerate with 10 overs remaining.
Raza’s half-century also made him Zimbabwe’s leading run-scorer in one-day internationals, adding a personal milestone to an innings that had briefly put his side in position to dictate the finish.
Ellis then helped trigger a late collapse of four wickets for 22 runs. Zimbabwe managed only 65 runs in the final 10 overs, leaving Raza to farm the strike and push the total to 271 for eight. It was Zimbabwe’s second-highest total batting first against Australia, but it proved just short of what was needed.
“As a captain, I’m really proud of the boys. Yes, this game hurts, but there’s plenty to learn,” Raza said.
“I’d rather have a game like that than for us to just chase it down in 40 overs with four wickets down,” he added. “So, yeah, a lot of positives as well, but it’s the one that got away.”
The narrow defeat came after a year in which Zimbabwe had already produced one of the biggest results in their recent history. At the 2026 T20 World Cup, they beat Australia by 23 runs in Colombo after making 169 for two and reducing Australia to 29 for four inside the first five overs. Blessing Muzarabani took four wickets for 17 runs as Zimbabwe secured a historic victory and advanced to the Super Eight stage, while Australia’s campaign suffered a major setback.
That win showed Zimbabwe could compete with a leading side when their batting, bowling and fielding came together. The Harare ODI series ended differently, with Australia’s top order producing a century in each match and Zimbabwe failing to register one. Australia won the first ODI by 59 runs and the second by 84 before surviving the final match by one wicket.
Raza identified that difference when he assessed the series.
“I think the difference has been that in three games, 300s have been scored by the Aussies and none by Zimbabwe,” he said. “I think that’s where the difference is.”
He also said Zimbabwe’s top order needed to turn promising starts into match-defining scores.
“I think to win an ODI game, the top four has to get 100 as well,” Raza said. “If you look at their 100, it was all in the top four as well. So I think that’s one thing we’ve learned.”
Zimbabwe’s next chance to build on the encouraging parts of the Australia series will come in the United Arab Emirates. They are due to open an ODI tri-series against Bangladesh on 17 October before facing Afghanistan two days later. Afghanistan and Bangladesh will meet on 21 October, with the final scheduled for 23 October.
The tournament will give Zimbabwe further matches against strong opposition as they prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The Chevrons will also face Afghanistan in three T20 internationals later in October before a two-Test series in November.
Australia, meanwhile, move on to South Africa for three ODIs beginning in Durban on Thursday. Their tour will later include a three-Test series, giving the squad another demanding run of cricket after a victory that looked unlikely until Ellis cleared the rope and Zimbabwe’s final chance disappeared into the Harare night.