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PCB chief Ramiz Raja expressed his disappointment with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for pulling out of their commitment and failing a member of their cricket fraternity. Yesterday, ECB announced that it has decided to pull out of their next month’s tour of Pakistan. Earlier, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) had pulled out of their tour to Pakistan citing security issues in the country. The newly-elected PCB chairman said that earlier, Pakistan only had arch-rivals India on target in the forthcoming T2O WC, but now they also have England and New Zealand on their hit list.
Official Statement from the ECB Board stated, "The ECB Board convened this weekend to discuss these extra England Women's and Men's games in Pakistan and we can confirm that the Board has reluctantly decided to withdraw both teams from the October trip."
ECB's decision has left Pakistan cricket board and fans in a state of huge disappointment. Notably, the Pakistan team had travelled to England last summer to help ECB save their potential losses during the Covid-19 pandemic. England were scheduled to play 2 T20Is in October in Pakistan. While the women's team was scheduled to play as many T20Is.
Ramiz Raja said that England have failed a fellow member of the cricket fraternity. He opined that it is a reminder to Pakistan team to emerge as the best in the world, so that teams won't avoid touring Pakistan. Further, Ramiz said, "I am severely disappointed in England's withdrawal but it was expected because this western bloc gets united unfortunately and tries to back each other."
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Ramiz also mentioned that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had begun a formal communication with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) seeking compensation for losses relating to the abandonment.