‘Failing their fraternity’: PCB angry as England shelve Pakistan tour

English cricket officials provoked an angry response from Pakistan after withdrawing their men’s and women’s teams from a limited-overs trip to the south Asian country next month, citing “increasing concerns” about travelling to the region.

The decision taken by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Monday came three days after New Zealand Cricket abandoned its men’s team’s tour of Pakistan following a government alert that warned of a possible attack outside Rawalpindi Stadium.

A policeman stands guard outside the Pindi Cricket Stadium following the cancellation of New Zealand’s first one-day match in Rawalpindi last week.Credit:AP

Cricket Australia, meanwhile, said it was monitoring the situation and would “talk with the relevant authorities once more information becomes known” ahead of its scheduled tour early next year.

The ECB didn’t detail any specific security issues in a statement released after a board meeting over the weekend, instead highlighting “the mental and physical well-being of our players and support staff.”

“We know there are increasing concerns about travelling to the region,” the ECB said, “and believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted COVID environments.”

Within minutes, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja reacted by saying on Twitter: “Disappointed with England, pulling out of their commitment & failing a member of their Cricket fraternity when it needed it most. Survive we will inshallah.”

Following the New Zealand team’s withdrawal from its tour on Friday, Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said he had no information about a security threat against the New Zealanders and that Pakistan had given New Zealand guarantees that the players would be safe.

According to Ahmed, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan that the country had information the players could come under attack outside the stadium.

England’s teams were scheduled to play all of their matches in Rawalpindi.

The men, who were set to play T20s on October 13 and 14, have not played an international in Pakistan since 2005. The women were to visit for the first time and were due to play three ODIs as well as two T20s.

Former Test firebrand Shoaib Akhtar was among those voicing their disapproval after New Zealand and England both canned tours of the south Asian nation.Credit:PA

Pakistan was a no-go zone for international cricket teams for a decade after terrorists attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009. The ambush killed seven people and injured several Sri Lankan cricketers.

International teams resumed touring Pakistan in 2019.

The ECB said another “complexity” was the potential harm a trip to Pakistan could do to the men’s team’s preparations for the T20 World Cup, which begins later in October.

“We understand that this decision will be a significant disappointment to the PCB, who have worked tirelessly to host the return of international cricket in their country,” the statement said.

“Their support of English and Welsh cricket over the last two summers has been a huge demonstration of friendship. We are sincerely sorry for the impact this will have on cricket in Pakistan and emphasise an ongoing commitment to our main touring plans there for 2022.”

Pakistan’s men’s team visited England to play three ODIs and three T20s in July.

In recent times, teams touring Pakistan were accorded the kind of security usually reserved for visiting heads of state and their cricket establishment wonders what else they could have done.

“NZ just killed Pakistan cricket,” tweeted former Test bowler Shoaib Akhtar, while angry fans demanded Pakistan boycott next month’s Twenty20 World Cup match against New Zealand.

The PCB has ruled out that prospect but is infuriated at New Zealand’s refusal to share the exact nature of the threat that derailed the tour.

“It sets a very dangerous precedent if countries can unilaterally just abandoned tours. Then it does affect relationships. Where does it leave us as a sport?“chief executive Wasim Khan said.

Khan said he would be making a broader point at the International Cricket Council (ICC), seeking to end the “inequality” within the governing body.

“Inequality exists, and I don’t care what people say,” he added. “It’s easy to walk out of countries like Pakistan without any reason, without any dialogue, without any discussion. That has to stop, because the inequality has to stop in the world of cricket.”

The players are dreading the prospect of having to resume playing their “home” games abroad but Khan said the PCB would not go down without a fight.

“As it stands at the moment, we have no plans to go abroad to play our cricket,” Khan said.

“It’s taken us a long time to return. We are adamant that we remain safe but of course we’ve also got to have contingency and back-ups.”

AP, Reuters

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