Bangladesh will host Zimbabwe for a tri-nations Twenty20 tournament in September despite the African nation being suspended by the game's world body, an official of the Bangladesh Cricket Board said Thursday. The International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended Zimbabwe in July over a failure to keep the sport free from government interference, putting the country's participation in multi-nation events in doubt.
"We have been informed by the concerned officials that there is no bar on Zimbabwe playing in bilateral matches. They are only suspended from ICC events. This is why we included them in the series," BCB spokesman Jalal Yunus told AFP. Afghanistan are the third team in the tournament scheduled to be held from September 13 to 24.
Bangladesh were originally scheduled to play a bilateral series against Afghanistan in September, but officials said Zimbabwe had been included in the series following a request from the strife-torn country. The tri-series will be preceded by Afghanistan's maiden Test match against Bangladesh in Chittagong from September 5 to 9.
Fixtures:
August 30: Afghanistan arrive in Bangladesh
September 1-2: Two-day practice match between Afghanistan XI and BCB XI in Chittagong
September 5-9: First and only Test between Bangladesh and Afghanistan in Chittagong
September 8: Zimbabwe arrive in Bangladesh
September 11: T20 practice match between Zimbabwe XI and BCB XI in Fatullah
September 13: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe tri-nation T20I in Dhaka
September 14: Afghanistan v Zimbabwe tri-nation T20I in Dhaka
September 15: Bangladesh v Afghanistan tri-nation T20I in Dhaka
September 18: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe tri-nation T20I in Chittagong.