The England cricket team is set to honour its fixture against Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday following a day of intense behind-the-scenes discussions with security and cricket officials on Saturday, the Sunday Times reported on Sunday.
Although the team remained divided on the issue Saturday night, according to the newspaper, English captain Nasser Hussain told security officials during a training session earlier Saturday to go ahead with travel arrangements for the game.
The team is set to announce its final decision only on Sunday morning but senior cricket officials were quietly confident the match would go ahead.
However, due to security concerns, England will delay travelling to Harare until Wednesday. They will leave Harare immediately after the match and return to South Africa.
Hussain is set to take the trip despite mounting pressure from the British government and attempts by the England and Wales Cricket Board to relocate the match.
On Friday Constitutional Court judge Albie Sachs rejected England’s appeal to relocate the match elsewhere on safety grounds, putting the ball in the team’s court.
England would forfeit four match points if they do not play the game at the Harare Sports Club.
The New Zealand squad decided earlier this week not to travel to Kenya for their scheduled match on February 21. – Sapa
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