Zimbabwe have been persuaded to pull out of the World Twenty20 in England next summer, according to reports.

The International Cricket Council have been discussing the future of the country at a board meeting in Dubai after England and South Africa broke off cricketing relations last week.

However, BBC Sport say that Zimbabwe - who have the support of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - will not be suspended from international cricket.

Decision taken: Peter Chingoka, President of Zimbabwe Cricket, gave in to pressure to withdraw from the tournament

There had been calls for the ICC to remove the African country's full member status during their series of executive meetings this week.

That would have been a controversial move and would have required at least seven of the 10 full member countries to concur.

The majority of the sub-continental teams were against such a proposal and, as a result, a compromise has been reached which allows the inaugural World Twenty20 to go ahead without Zimbabwe.

Without such an agreement the tournament would have been thrown into chaos as the British Government had made it clear cricket teams representing Robert Mugabe's country were not welcome in the UK.

An alternative venue would have had to have been found even though many arrangements had already been made and some tickets sold.