The Indian Cricket Board has invited a Zimbabwe President's XI side to participate in this year's Deodhar Trophy and next season's Duleep Trophy.

The BCCI has also agreed to open the National Cricket Academy's doors for players from Zimbabwe besides inviting a team from there to participate in the Buchi Babu tournament later this year.

This was decided at a meeting of BCCI President Shashank Manohar and Secretary N Srinivasan with Zimbabwe Cricket Union Chairman Peter Chingoka in Mumbai [Images] on Friday to discuss the role of Indian Board in the development of ZCU. 

"The meeting was to discuss the role the BCCI can play in the redevelopment of Zimbabwe cricket in the years to come. A Zimbabwe President's XI will participate in this season's edition of the Deodhar Trophy in March 2009, along with the five zonal sides," a BCCI statement said. 

"The BCCI has also agreed to invite the Zimbabwe President's XI to participate in the Duleep Trophy from the 2009-10 season onwards. It has also been decided to extend the facilities at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for the training of players from Zimbabwe," the statement added.