Zimbabwe Cricket could be suspended at this year’s International Cricket Council conference in two weeks’ time because of political interference in the board.

Last month, the Zimbabwean government’s sports and recreation commission suspended the entire cricket board and appointed an interim committee, contravening ICC rules prohibiting political interference in its members.

The turmoil in Zimbabwean cricket is such that it is unclear who will represent the board at the ICC conference, which takes place in London after the World Cup.

As a full member of the ICC, Zimbabwe receive about £9 million a year, but they have been bedevilled by financial problems. Last week, the women’s side pulled out of a tour of Ireland days before they were due to arrive, citing a lack of finances.

Gerald Mlotshwa, the chairman of the sports and recreation commission, has complained of staff not returning to work since suspending the board of Zimbabwe Cricket.

If Zimbabwe were suspended, it is possible that the appearances of their men’s and women’s teams in the qualification tournaments for the next Twenty20 World Cup – the women’s qualifiers begin in August and the men’s in October – would be in jeopardy.

But it appears more likely that their programme of fixtures would continue, because of a desire for players not to suffer from administrative problems. In recent years, Nepal and the United States have been suspended but permitted to continue playing while the ICC was in temporary control of the sport.