ICC also introduced of the concept of concussion replacements and a change in rule for over-rate punishments.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended Zimbabwe with immediate effect for breach of its constitution.
The introduction of concussion replacements and a change to over-rate punishments were two of the major decisions made at the ICC Annual Conference in London, where the headline was the decision to suspend Zimbabwe Cricket, according to an official release from ICC.
The ICC Board unanimously decided that Zimbabwe had failed to fulfil their obligation to provide a process for free and democratic elections and to ensure that there is no government interference in its administration for cricket.
ICC funding will be suspended, and representative teams from the country will be barred from participating at ICC events, putting their participation in October’s Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in jeopardy.
“We do not take the decision to suspend a Member lightly, but we must keep our sport free from political interference,” said ICC chairman Shashank Manohar. “What has happened in Zimbabwe is a serious breach of the ICC Constitution and we cannot allow it to continue unchecked. The ICC wants cricket to continue in Zimbabwe in accordance with the ICC Constitution.”
Zimbabwe's Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) had suspended Zimbabwe Cricket last month, putting the national cricket board on a collision course with the ICC.
Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the recent 50-overs World Cup, having struggled to schedule matches against the major teams in international cricket as their financial position worsened.
The country first became a full ICC member in 1992 and enjoyed an impressive run at the 1999 World Cup, narrowly missing out on a semi-final spot.
In other decisions made during the meeting, concussion replacements will also be introduced following successful trials in domestic cricket. The player will need to be a like-for-like substitute, and any such switch will need to be approved by the Match Referee. The change will come into effect from 1 August, meaning the first game for which they will be in play will be the first men's Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
Also significant is an alteration to punishments for maintaining a slow over-rate. Captains will no longer face suspension, but players face point deductions in the ICC Test Championship for breaches.
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