Zimbabwe Pull Out Of World Twenty20

England has retained its status as hosts of next year’s World Twenty20 cricket tournament after it was announced that Zimbabwe had pulled out of the event.

The International Cricket Council has been discussing Zimbabwe’s future at a board meeting in Dubai after England and South Africa broke off cricketing relations with the troubled country last week in response to the political situation following president Robert Mugabe’s re-election.

Despite being under pressure to suspend Zimbabwe from all international cricket, the ICC’s compromise decision enables England to retain its hosting rights given that they had banned the African country from touring.

Zimbabwe Cricket Union president Peter Chingoka stated that his country had voluntarily pulled out of the event.

‘Zimbabwe has agreed not to participate in the Twenty20 world championships in the wider interest of cricket. But we will continue to be a full member of the ICC and welcome any team that wants to play against us.

‘We voluntarily agreed to back out of the Twenty20 Worlds because we were told we won’t get visas to England. We don’t want to gate crash where we are not welcome.’

However secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport Andy Burnham said he would have liked to have seen tougher action against Zimbabwe.

‘I welcome the fact that Zimbabwe will not play in the WorldTwenty20 in England next year. The Government made it clear that, in the current circumstances, the team whose figurehead is Mr Mugabe would not be welcome.

‘While I would have preferred the ICC to take a stronger stance against Zimbabwe cricket, this solution still allows individual cricket authorities to make their own choices over whether to play Zimbabwe.’