England could lose the right to host the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009 if the Government blocks Zimbabwe from touring earlier in the season. The ECB will be happy for Gordon Brown to press ahead with plans to bar the squad from entering the country but knows that it may face a backlash from the wider cricket community.

Talks are under way between Downing Street and the ECB, with the Government preparing to toughen its stance on Robert Mugabe’s regime. Under ICC rules, the ECB will not be liable for any compensation to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) for the cancellation of the Test and one-day series if the ban is made at government level.

In 2005, the New Zealand Government took such a stance in refusing to give visas to the Zimbabwe party. The England situation is more complicated because Zimbabwe are expecting to stay in the country for the global 20-over competition, which in turn precedes the Ashes in what the ECB sees as a golden summer.

With the Home Office examining the broad issue of visas for one-off events, it is possible that Zimbabwe may be allowed in for a competition falling under the higher auspices of the ICC, even if they are blocked for what are self-contained bilateral matches against England.

However, this may not satisfy the Asian-led bloc that forms a majority inside the ICC. The ECB was keen to secure the 2009 tournament having given Twenty20 to the rest of the world as one of its most successful sporting exports, but the formal paper-work of host and staging agreements are still to be signed.

England would receive a fixed sum of about £1 million as hosts as well as 10 per cent of ticket sales. There will be no shortage of other boards eager to stage the event after the cricketing success of the inaugural competition in South Africa last September, although low pricing for spectators removed any commercial windfall.

The ICC is already facing a possible move for one flagship tournament because political uncertainty in Pakistan may jeopardise its hosting of the Champions Trophy in the autumn. South Africa and Sri Lanka are thought to be keen to take on the venture, which will not involve Zimbabwe.

England are looking for alternative opponents for the two Tests and three 50-over games against Zimbabwe next year. In December, the board was embarrassed when sources inside ZC said that Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, had offered about £200,000 for England to buy their way out of the commitment.

Zimbabwe have been in Test exile for two years because of the paucity of their cricket and the ECB wants to know whether they will be back in the fold by May next year. If not, then without the Government’s lead, compensation will be due only for the one-day games because Zimbabwe retain full status in the shorter form.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been identified as possible replacements, but an offer from the ECB will be more attractive if it combines Test and one-day cricket. There will be less interest if a touring side have to return home or stay idle in England between the Tests and the World Twenty20.

The Zimbabwe issue has been a constant thorn since the build-up to the World Cup game between England and Zimbabwe in Harare in 2003 when players and officials, stuck inside a hotel in Cape Town for three days of talks when they should have been preparing for games, expressed their determination not to travel because of safety fears.

Around that time, Henry Olonga and Andy Flower, who is now an assistant to Peter Moores, the England head coach, staged their famous black-armband protest against the Mugabe regime. They were widely acclaimed for their bravery.

In 2004, Stephen Harmison, the fast bowler, made himself unavailable for England’s one-day matches in Harare and Bulawayo on moral grounds and David Morgan, the ECB chairman at the time, was placed in a near-impossible position of having to save the tour to avoid penalties after Mugabe initially denied visas to travelling journalists.

Morgan’s task would have been simpler had the Government ordered the squad to stay away, as John Howard instructed the Australia team eight months ago. Howard, the Prime Minister at the time, saw the games as a propaganda coup for Mugabe, whose home is close to the venue for significant matches in Harare.

Brown has taken a higher-profile stance on Zimbabwe than Tony Blair, his predecessor. He refused to attend an EU-Africa summit in Portugal last month because Mugabe was present. A number of issues, including liability, need to be settled before a block on the Zimbabwe tour is confirmed and Downing Street said that a final decision is yet to be taken.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: “I think that it is very early to be making these sorts of decisions. We obviously will need to discuss this with the ECB closer to the time. A decision will have to be made about this at some point, but we are not at that point at the moment.”

Andy Flower Former Zimbabwe captain and England batting coach

“Unfortunately things have got far worse in Zimbabwe over the past four years. My views on the political situation there are well known, but it is a little tricky for me in my new position as an ECB employee to comment on whether Zimbabwe should tour England in 2009 – or the implications for the World Twenty20. We do need firm decisions on this, however, and if the Government back the ECB that would be welcome.”

Henry Olonga Former Zimbabwe fast-medium bowler

“It’s the first I’ve heard about it, but I welcome it. Clearly, Gordon Brown is taking a stronger stance than Tony Blair. ITN’s excellent series of reports on Zimbabwe in the autumn brought the whole issue out in focus. At the end of the series, Brown came on and said he wouldn’t be attending the summit in Lisbon [last month]. That showed solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe and made it clear that sanctions against Mugabe’s cronies would be taken.

“There have been too many scandals in Zimbabwean cricket and something needs to be done. There are a lot of corruption issues. Every time I speak about it, I get angry and emotional as it’s just so unnecessary.”

Out on a limb

How other countries view Zimbabwe

Australia Refused to tour the country last year after a ruling by John Howard, the Prime Minister at the time

New Zealand Government denied Zimbabwe players and officials entry visas in 2005

Pakistan Were due to host a five-match one-day series at the end of the month, Zimbabwe’s first visit since 2004

West Indies Were the most recent visiting team to the country in November last year

South Africa Have generally supported their neighbours, briefly threatening to pull out of an England tour in 2003

Bangladesh Have become regular opponents in the past 18 months and left them behind in the ICC one-day rankings

Zimbabwe’s next international fixture Saturday, January 26: First one-day international (of five) v Pakistan (venue tbc)