ICC sets October 8 deadline for Zimbabwe to reinstate its governing board

A week after suspending them from international cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has set October 8 as the deadline for Zimbabwe to “unconditionally reinstate” its governing body that was elected on June 14. The country’s governing agency Sports and Recreation Commission had suspended the elected board, earning the ICC’s wrath and it took the extreme step of suspending the African nation on grounds of political interference in its cricketing affairs.

The international governing body said such interference violates its constitution. As per the suspension, the ICC froze economic aid to Zimbabwe and also barred its teams to take part in major events. Recently, four women players from Zimbabwe, including their captain, were stopped from travelling to England to be part of Women’s Global Development Squad.

With the ICC now setting a deadline for reinstating the elected board, Zimbabwe’s ICC status is at stake for they could lose their membership if the mess at home is not cleared soon.

According to the ICC, Zimbabwe were found breaching articles 2.4 (d) and (e) of the body’s constitution. It will convene its next meeting on October 12, four days after the deadline lapses, and Zimbabwe will have to do some brisk work now to avert the worst possibility.

Failure from Zimbabwe could see its membership getting terminated

As per the ICC’s statement issued addressing Zimbabwe: “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 also told Zimbabwe that it has to produce satisfactory evidence to ensure that its cricketing affairs are administered free of external influence. It warned that if there is no such satisfactory response within the given deadline, it will take action which it deems appropriate and that even could be the termination of the African nation’s membership as provided under the Articles of Association.

Zimbabwe’s suspension left their cricketing community shocked and even a few players decided to quit the game. The side has also pulled out of the T20 tri-series in Bangladesh in September which also features Afghanistan.