Zimbabwe Cricket have been suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after breaching the governing body’s constitution. 

The decision was announced following the conclusion of the ICC’s annual conference meetings in London.

A statement from the ICC said: “Zimbabwe Cricket, an ICC Full Member, is in breach of Article 2.4 (c) and (d) of the ICC Constitution which imposes an obligation on Members to provide a process for free and democratic elections and to ensure that there is no government interference in its governance and/or administration for cricket respectively.”

The decision by the ICC means Zimbabwe’s representative sides will not feature at any ICC events, while funding to the national body has also been halted. This puts their participation in October’s Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in jeopardy.

On the decision, ICC chairman Shashank Manohar said: “We do not take the decision to suspend a Member lightly, but we must keep our sport free from political interference. What has happened in Zimbabwe is a serious breach of the ICC Constitution and we cannot allow it to continue unchecked.”

The statement from the ICC added that the governing body has “has directed that the elected Zimbabwe Cricket Board be reinstated to office within three months,” with progress on this to be discussed at the ICC’s board meeting in October.

Another result of the annual conference is the decision by the ICC to approve concussion replacements in all men’s and women’s international cricket and first-class cricket.

The decision will enter the ICC’s playing conditions from August 1. Concussion replacements will have to be like-for-like and will require approval from the match referee.

Another significant development from the conference is change to rules regarding over-rates, with captains no longer to be suspended for over-rate breaches.