The Indian Cricket team is scheduled to play a three T20I match series against Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe players were supposed to come to India for the series. However, on Thursday, after Zimbabwe Cricket Board’s suspension, there is no clarity regarding the series. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to take a call on the series yet.
The board is expected to wait till October since there is an International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in October which will decide the future of Zimbabwe Cricket Board.
The series is scheduled in January
It is to be noted that the India-Zimbabwe series is scheduled to begin from 5 January onwards. The first match is scheduled in Guwahati, the second match on 7 January in Indore and the final match of the series on 10 January in Pune.
However, since ICC has suspended Zimbabwe Cricket Board, it will not be able to take part in any international matches.
According to reports, the Indian Cricket Board is not looking for any backup plans at the moment. The board is optimistic about the outcome of the ICC’s meeting on 16 October. However, if Zimbabwe is not given clearance to participate in International matches, India may consider a backup.
Government interference led to suspension
ICC had suspended Zimbabwe Cricket Board on Thursday with immediate effect. ICC took the decision as a penalty to growing uncertainties in Zimbabwe Cricket.
ICC expects the governing cricket bodies to not be under the influence of the government of that or any other country. However, the Zimbabwe Cricket Board has failed to satisfy this criterion.
Last month, Zimbabwe government agency, Sports and Recreation Committee had suspended the members of the Zimbabwe Cricket Board. This is in violation of ICC’s article 2.4 (C and D).
The suspension also means that ICC will not give any funding to the Zimbabwe Cricket Board and they will not be able to participate in any ICC events either.