Sri Lanka will replace Zimbabwe in England

London, July 9 (IANS) Sri Lanka will play in England next year to fill in the place of Zimbabwe after the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) decided to severe cricketing ties with the African nation.

Sri Lanka will play two Tests and three one-day internationals in England after ECB finalised the dates for the series Wednesday.

Sri Lanka will begin their warm-up matches against Leicestershire in Leicester from April 21 before the first Test begins in Lords May 7.

The series ensures England will have a full warm-up for the Ashes series against Australia later in the summer.

England has snapped cricket relations with Zimbabwe last month following the political crisis with the re-election of President Robert Mugabe.

The English government has instructed ECB to cut its bilateral tours with Zimbabwe who have already pulled out of the Twenty20 World Cup in England next year.

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