Zimbabwe cricketers to tour NZ after sanctions waived

Wellington, June 12 (ANI): The New Zealand Government has signalled it won't stand in the way of a proposed cricket tour by Zimbabwe to New Zealand for the first time in 11 years next summer.

The Black Caps are due to tour Zimbabwe in October, which would be their first tour of the troubled African nation since 2005, when their decision to go polarised opinion. The proposed tour has already been delayed twice due to security concerns, stuff.co.nz reports.

Following October's series, it's expected that the African side will then travel to New Zealand for a reciprocal series.

New Zealand Cricket resumed bilateral ties with Zimbabwe last year by sending a New Zealand A team on a tour there.

Standing in the way of Zimbabwe's tour here, however, is the fact the government has imposed travel sanctions on sporting tours from the country in opposition to the ruling regime of President Robert Mugabe.

But Sports and Foreign Minister Murray McCully confirmed yesterday that a waiver would be provided to allow the Zimbabwean cricket team to tour New Zealand despite the political situation. (ANI)