England cricketers insist ECB didn't ask before pulling out Pakistan tour
England players insist ECB didn't ask before pulling out Pakistan tour
(Web Desk) – The Team England Player Partnership (TEPP) has refuted claims that their players were behind the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) pulling out of upcoming Pakistan tour and insisted they were not even asked, reported Daily Mail.
TEPP spokesman said that the team was left in the dark by the ECB following New Zealand’s decision to leave Pakistan last Friday after a security alert minutes before their opening match in Rawalpindi.
It was earlier reported that an intervention by the TEPP stopped the tour going ahead, but in a strong rebuttal, a spokesperson told, ‘At no stage has the ECB ever asked Team England Player Partnership or the teams, men and women, whether the tour should go ahead or whether players were prepared to tour Pakistan.’
‘At no stage has Team England Player Partnership informed the ECB that the players would not be touring,’ the spokesman added.
UK PM Johnson angry over ECB’s decision to abandon Pakistan tour
British Prime Minister Borris Johnson had expressed anger over ECB’s withdrawal of the men and women cricket teams’ tour of Pakistan next month.
According to a report published in the British newspaper ‘Times’, PM Johnson was understood to be “angry over the ECB’s decision” to cancel the men’s and women’s white-ball tour to Pakistan next month.
“The prime minister and senior officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office believe that the decision has damaged relations between the UK and Pakistani governments,” the report mentioned.
England pull out off Pakistan tour after New Zealand abandons series
Days after New Zealand pulled out of their cricket series against Pakistan over security concerns, England had also withdrawn their men’s and women’s teams from next month’s tour of Pakistan.
England’s men and women teams were due to play two Twenty20s in Rawalpindi in October, while the women’s team were also due to play three ODIs in Pakistan.
"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," the ECB said in a statement.
"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.
"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."
