This entry was originally posted on Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
There was rumor out in the media suggesting that New Zealand government might not allow its cricket team to tour Zimbabwe coming July this year. Now, the rumor has become true as New Zealand has postponed its pre-scheduled cricket tour to Zimbabwe due in July on safety ground. The decision was taken in a recent ICC meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, as cricket chiefs of other national boards agreed upon the postponement of New Zealand’s Zimbabwe tour until 2010.
Justin Vaughan, chief executive of New Zealand Cricket (NZC), has recently said that the political and security situation of Zimbabwe need to be monitored for a year and he hopes that by 2010, New Zealand cricket team will be able to make a safe tour to Zimbabwe. Earlier, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key had expressed his concern over the political condition in Zimbabwe and health issues as there is a cholera epidemic spreading over the African nations.
New Zealand Cricket could have faced a fine up to $2 million and additional costs, unless they postponement of the tour had not justified reasons. Zimbabwe Cricket has been badly affected by their autocratic Mugabe government as they are out of test cricket since 2006. Zimbabwe has also withdrawn from this year’s Twenty20 world championship as British government has refused to give Zimbabwe team visas for the tournament as part of their protest against Zimbabwe’s political turmoil.
Related article:
International Herald Tribune
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