Calcutta: Zimbabwe were on Thursday retained as a full member of the International Cricket Council after the African nation agreed to pull out of next year’s World Twenty20 as a last-minute compromise.

The ICC’s Executive Board, which met for an unscheduled third day following a deadlock on the issue after two days of deliberations, agreed to maintain Zimbabwe’s status after it agreed to pull out of the Twenty20 meet in England.

ICC issued the following statement on Friday at the conclusion of the meeting in Dubai:

The Zimbabwe delegation to ICC annual conference week is aware of the decision of the British government not to allow the bilateral series in England in 2009 to go ahead

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has also taken note that the British government is likely to refuse visas for the Zimbabwe cricket team to take part in the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009.

Therefore, the Zimbabwe delegation has decided to recommend to its board that the team should withdraw from that event

The delegation has undertaken to report ZC’s decision on the issue within a month

The Zimbabwe board won’t suffer any financial loss for its non-participation

The Zimbabwe delegation has agreed to take this decision in the greater interest of world cricket and the ICC. This recommendation should be viewed as a one-off and won’t be taken as a precedent

Outgoing ICC president Ray Mali has recommended that a sub-committee be set up, chaired by Julian Hunte (West Indies) and another ICC board member Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka) and an official from the ICC (to be confirmed).

The role of this sub-committee will be to advise the board on all matters relating to Zimbabwe cricket including its return to full participation in the international game.

The specific terms of reference for the sub-committee will be finalised in due course.