Zimbabwe have been suspended from the International Cricket Council with immediate effect.

The ICC board unanimously decided that Zimbabwe Cricket was in breach of article 2.4 (c) and (d) of the constitution, and the sports and recreation committee’s suspension of the board earlier this year constituted governmental interference.

Funding to Zimbabwe Cricket will be withheld while teams from the country won’t be afforded participation in ICC events. Their involvement in October’s T20 World Cup-qualifying tournament, therefore, is in jeopardy.

‘We do not take the decision to suspend a member lightly, but we must keep our sport free from political interference,’ said ICC chairman Shashank Manohar.

‘What has happened in Zimbabwe is a serious breach of the ICC constitution and we cannot allow it to continue unchecked. The ICC wants cricket to continue in Zimbabwe in accordance with the ICC constitution.’

The ICC, too, has insisted the elected Zimbabwe Cricket board be reinstated within three months.

According to article 2.4 (D) of the ICC constitution, every member must ‘manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no government [or other public or quasi-public body] interference in its governance, regulation and/or administration of cricket in its cricket-playing country’.

The Croatia Cricket Federation and Zambia Cricket Union have also been suspended for ongoing non-compliance.

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