England cricket chiefs said Thursday it was their "intention" to play a five-match one-day series in Zimbabwe later this year.
However, a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said the tour to the troubled African state, the first leg of a trip that features a Test tour of South Africa, would proceed only if it was "safe and secure to do so."
The announcement came just 24 hours before hosts England opened their ICC Champions Trophy campaign against Zimbabwe at Edgbaston.
Officials stressed that a joint inspection visit by the ECB and the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) would take place in the run-up to the tour, due to start in November, as part of their ongoing monitoring of the security situation.
England's progress at last year's World Cup was derailed by the controversy surrounding their opening match in Zimbabwe, the sub-hosts in a tournament largely staged in South Africa.
The team came under pressure from the British Government to abandon the game in protest at the policies of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe but ministers stressed they did not have the power to stop England playing.
ITINERARY:
November 24 or 25 England arrive Harare
November 26 1st ODI Harare
November 28 2nd ODI Harare
December 01 3rd ODI Bulawayo
December 04 4th ODI Bulawayo
December 05 5th ODI Bulawayo
December 06 England depart for Johannesburg.
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