World Cup director Ali Bacher said England's World Cup match against Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday would not go ahead.
The decision is due to be announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board at a joint press conference with the International Cricket Council around 1630 GMT.
England's players have been worried about security in Zimbabwe as well as social and political unrest.
They failed to convince tournament organisers to move the game to main hosts South Africa last week but Bacher told Reuters by phone in Johannesburg on Tuesday the game was now being put back in an attempt to find a compromise and avert an England boycott.
