ICC restores Zimbabwe and Nepal as members

ICC restores Zimbabwe and Nepal as members: The two nations have been restored as full members by the international body.

ICC (International Cricket Council) have reinstated Zimbabwe and Nepal as members. Zimbabwe were suspended three months ago due to government interference in their cricketing board.

While Zimbabwe did play international cricket in this period, they were not allowed to play in the ICC-organised tournaments. The decision was taken during ICC’s October board meeting on Monday.

Zimbabwe, who have been on the decline for more than a decade now, could have faced serious ramifications across disciplines had their current status was retained by the ICC.

@ICC It’s heartbreaking to hear your verdict and suspend cricket in Zimbabwe. The @ZimbabweSrc has no government back round yet our Chairman is an MP? Hundreds of honest people,players, support staff,ground staff totally devoted to ZC out of a job,just like that. 💔

— Brendan Taylor (@BrendanTaylor86) July 18, 2019

As far as Nepal is considered, they were suspended in 2016 for breach of ICC regulations that prohibit government interference while also requiring ‘free and fair elections’.

ICC restores Zimbabwe and Nepal as members

“I would like to thank the Zimbabwe Sports Minister for her commitment to the reinstatement of Zimbabwe Cricket. Her desire to work in support of Zimbabwe Cricket was clear and she has unconditionally complied with the conditions set down by the ICC Board.

“Funding to Zimbabwe Cricket will continue to be on a controlled basis as part of a collective effort behind getting the game in Zimbabwe back on an even keel,” ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar was quoted as saying. It is further said that Zimbabwe’s sports minister played a pivotal role in in assuring the move.

I have hereby decided to resign from my post as captain of Nepal cricket team as there has to be a new way of taking things forward with a fresh start and a committed vision with everyone involved: @Paras77

— Cricket Nepal (@NepalCricket) October 15, 2019

“Given the progress made in Nepal, a transition plan will now be developed for the Cricket Association of Nepal to support full compliance with Associate Membership criteria, which will also involve controlled funding,” Manohar said of the development in Nepal.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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