Third Associate to replace Zimbabwe in Twenty20

Zimbabwe's withdrawal from the ICC World Twenty20 in England in 2009 has opened the way for a third Associate county to be invited from next month's ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers.

The leading Associates meet in Belfast between August 2 and 4 with the top two gained an automatic place in the main event the following June.

"The third associate will come through the qualifiers in August this year," Samir Inamdar, the chairman of the ICC's Affiliates and Associates, told Cricinfo. "I have had a conversation with Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, who has agreed that it is logical to replace Zimbabwe with an Associate."