England Blow For Pakistan After New Zealand's Abandoned Tour

PCB chief Raja said England had failed his nation’s cricket team by pulling out of the tour. “Disappointed with England, pulling out of their commitment and failing a member of their cricket fraternity when it needed it most,” he tweeted

LONDON

England cricket chiefs on Monday withdrew their men’s and women’s teams from next month’s white-ball series in Pakistan citing “increasing concerns about traveling to the region” in a bitter blow to the South Asian nation.

The historic trip, which would have been the first-ever by an England women’s team and the first by their male counterparts since 2005, was in serious doubt after New Zealand pulled out of their tour of Pakistan on Friday over security fears.

Rawalpindi was due to host men’s and women’s Twenty20 double-headers on Oct.13 and 14 as England’s men prepare for next month’s T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman.

Heather Knight’s women’s team was then due to play three one-day internationals (ODIs) in the same city.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement it had “reluctantly decided to withdraw both teams from the October trip”.

“The mental and physical well-being of our players and support staff remains our highest priority and this is even more critical given the times we are currently living in,” it said.

“We know there are increasing concerns about travelling to the region 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.”