ICC Gives A Deadline To Zimbabwe Cricket To Resolve The Board Issue

Jul 25, 2019 at 10:38 AM

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ICC Gives A Deadline To Zimbabwe Cricket To Resolve The Board Issue

The Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has gotten a massive lifeline as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has given them a deadline on 8th October 2019 to reinstate the elected Board of ZC unconditionally. If the ZC manages to do this under 8th October 2019, the ICC can reconsider their suspension. However, if they fail it, then the ICC can even terminate their membership.

On 18th July 2019, at the ICC Annual Conference in London, the ICC suspended the ZC with immediate effect for failing to conduct free and democratic elections and to administrate without the government interference.

Image Credit: Twitter

Earlier last month, Zimbabwe’s Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) suspended the entire ZC members.

SRC is a government body which demanded a financial audit of ZC to investigate any fraud or mismanagement of money. The commission also ordered not to organise the board members’ elections until their investigation.

However, the ZC re-elected Tavengwa Mukuhlani as the chairman of the board by not following that SRC order. Soon, the SRC decided to suspend all the ZC members and formed an interim committee to run the national cricket.

On 18th July, the ICC has decided to suspend the ZC for the government body-SRC’s involvement in the national board. In their recent media release, ICC has claimed that the ZC breached the Articles 2.4 (D) and (E) of the ICC Articles of Association.

ICC can reconsider the Zimbabwe Cricket’s suspension

The global governing body has scheduled its next meeting program on October 12. They can reconsider the ZC’s suspension in that meeting if they ensure to reinstate the latest elected Board of ZC unconditionally.

ICC, ZC
Image Credit: Getty Images.

As per the latest ICC statement, “Should you wish the ICC to reconsider your suspension, you are required to take all relevant steps to ensure that the Board of Zimbabwe Cricket elected on 14 June 2019 is unconditionally reinstated forthwith and, in any event, no later than 8 October 2019 so that the ICC Board can review the matter when it convenes on 12 October 2019 for its next meeting.”

The ICC statement further added that the ZC also needed to provide satisfactory evidence to ensure their future run.

It claimed, “You are also required to provide satisfactory evidence to ensure that the Zimbabwe Cricket will administer its affairs free of external interference and influence.”

The ZC is also in danger to face the termination of the ICC membership

The ICC can take further action if the ZC fails to follow these instructions. Failing to follow these instructions can make the result of the termination of the ZC’s membership.

The ICC statement continued, “Should the ICC not receive a satisfactory response from you on the above terms, within the stipulated timeframe, the ICC reserves its right to take such further action as it deems appropriate including to proceed by way of termination of your membership as provided for in the Articles of Association.”

The present condition of the Zimbabwe Cricket

Due to the latest suspension, the ZC is not receiving further fund from the ICC. The ZC is already struggling financially.

The ZC has recently claimed that they can’t organise the domestic tournaments in the upcoming season. They have also cancelled their forthcoming international tour of Bangladesh. In this September, the hosts Bangladesh have a schedule to organise a T20I tri-series with Zimbabwe and Afghanistan.

Zimbabwe also have a plan to tour in India in early January 2020. In this tour, the hosts India have a schedule to organise three-match bilateral T20I series against Zimbabwe. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is waiting for the upcoming October ICC meeting before taking any decision about the forthcoming home T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe national cricket teams also can’t participate in the ICC events till this suspension period.

Zimbabwe women’s team has a schedule to feature in the 2019 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier. This tournament will run from 31st August to 7th September 2019 in Scotland.

ICC, ZC
Zimbabwe women’s national cricket team (Image Credit: Google)

On the other hand, Zimbabwe men’s have a schedule to feature in the 2019 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier. The UAE will host this tournament from 11th October to 3rd November 2019.

ICC, ZC
Zimbabwe men’s national cricket team (Image Credit: Google)

However, Zimbabwe’s participation in both these tournaments is in serious doubt due to the latest suspension.

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