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 on 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.cThey are only suspended from ICC events. This is why we included them in the series,” BCB spokesman Jalal Yunus.
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.
Schedule:
- August 30: Afghanistan arrive in Bangladesh
- Sept 1-2: Two-day practice match between Afghanistan XI and BCB XI in Chittagong
- Sept 5-9: First and only Test between Bangladesh and Afghanistan in Chittagong
- Sept 8: Zimbabwe arrive in Bangladesh
- Sept 11: T20 practice match between Zimbabwe XI and BCB XI in Fatullah
- Sept 13: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe tri-nation T20I in Dhaka
- Sept 14: Afghanistan v Zimbabwe tri-nation T20I in Dhaka
- Sept 15: Bangladesh v Afghanistan tri-nation T20I in Dhaka
- Sept 18: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe tri-nation T20I in Chittagong
- Sept 20: Afghanistan v Zimbabwe tri-nation T20I in Chittagong
- Sept 21: Bangladesh v Afghanistan tri-nation T20I in Chittagong
- Sept 24: Final of tri-nation T20I in Dhaka
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