India postpone Zimbabwe tour

The Board of Control for Cricket in India have postponed India’s tour of Zimbabwe, which had been scheduled to take place in June.

The inaugural season of the Indian Premier League ends on June 1 and India announced on Tuesday a tri-nation tournament involving Pakistan and hosts Bangladesh from June 8-14, which leaves no time for a trip to Zimbabwe.

“We have decided to put off the tour of Zimbabwe. The hectic calendar makes it quite impossible and we have conveyed the decision to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union,” said BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah.

Following the tournament in Bangladesh, India travel to Pakistan to play in the Asia Cup, which begins on June 24.

The sub-continent team will then visit Sri Lanka in July for three Tests and five one-day internationals.

The news is a big blow to Zimbabwe Cricket, who will now not play a series until they host Sri Lanka in November.

Meanwhile, IPL organisers have announced the 2009 season will be held between April 10 and May 29.