ICC reinstates Cricket Zimbabwe and Cricket Association of Nepal

In a media release, it has been revealed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has readmitted Zimbabwe and Nepal. These developments come after Zimbabwe was suspended in July 2019 following government intervention in their cricket operations. Nepal had been suspended all the way back in 2016 for similar reasons. ICC chairman, Shashank Manohar, spoke about the readmittance of the teams and the bright future in store.

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ICC Chairman thanks Cricketing Boards

Manohar spoke about how he was thankful to the Zimbabwean Sports Minister for her compliance and voluntariness to comply with the ICC's conditions. Zimbabwe will now be able to participate in the 2020 ICC Men's Under-19 Cricket World Cup. The ICC will supply Zimbabwe cricket with controlled funding to help development. Nepal, which was suspended in 2016, was also reinstated as a 17-member committee to run the Cricket Association of Nepal was elected in early October. Manohar revealed that the ICC would create a transition plan to support Nepal's full compliance along with controlled funding. 

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Why were the teams suspended?

Zimbabwe was suspended earlier this year when the ICC developed concerns over the government interference in the country's cricketing operations. The ICC feared that the funding it allocates to the Zimbabwe Cricket Board for the development of the game would be diverted to the government of the country. The political interference in Cricket Zimbabwe (CZ) has had players quitting cricket along with a slew of complaints as the board has been drained of its assets due to political interference. 

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Nepal was suspended when the leadership of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) was being fought over by two factions. CAN President Chatur Bahadur Chand's committee fought against the government-appointed ad-hoc committee and the ICC did not approve of it as it went against their laws. The ICC suspended Nepal and urged them to have free and fair elections to establish their cricket board, without any interference from the government. 

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