Tag: English Cricket Board

  • ‘Made zero sense to me’: Alex Hales on England cancelling Pakistan tour

    ‘Made zero sense to me’: Alex Hales on England cancelling Pakistan tour

    England’s opening batter Alex Hales has criticised the English Cricket Board for cancelling their scheduled tour to Pakistan last year, saying that the cancellation made zero sense to him.

    Hales, who last represented England in 2019, is currently playing for Islamabad United in the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He said that Pakistan helped England in challenging times during the pandemic but the ECB did not reciprocate.

    “Pakistan came to England during Covid, helped out the ECB massively, so for them to cancel that tour made absolutely zero sense to me whatsoever,” he said.

    Hales, who has toured the country numerous times, said ‘it’s a great place to come and play cricket’, and also lauded the hospitality and passion of the people.

    “I have been here four or five times now and get looked after really well,” he said.

    “Every time we come here, the people are very hospitable and the cricket is always really good. The fans here are crazy for it. So it’s a great place to come and play cricket,” he added.

    It is should be noted that both England’s men’s and women’s sides were set to play two T20Is, with the latter staying on for three ODIs in September 2021.

    The ECB cited protecting ‘the mental and physical well-being’ of its players and staff as well as “increasing concerns about travelling to the region” as reasons for opting out in a statement explaining the cancellation.

    Earlier, it was announced that England will play two additional Twenty20s during their tour to Pakistan this year. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive Tom Harrison promised in his tour to Pakistan.

  • ‘Selfishness, treachery of English cricket’, Peter Oborne schools ECB after Pak win

    ‘Selfishness, treachery of English cricket’, Peter Oborne schools ECB after Pak win

    English author and journalist Peter Oborne, who is very vocal about the mistreatment of Pakistan cricket by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and other cricket boards, has schooled the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after they made a joke on their Twitter account about India and Pakistan match.

    “Not your typical Monday morning! How are you feeling in one word,” ECB posted on Twitter with a smiling face.

    Replying to the English board, Peter wrote: “I am thinking Pakistan pulled off their great victory last night despite their preparation schedule being cruelly disrupted by the selfishness and treachery of English cricket.”

    Earlier, the English author had assailed the English Board for calling off their tour of Pakistan, terming the decision “a kick in the teeth” of Pakistan, to whom English cricket owed a great deal.

    New Zealand also abandoned their tour minutes before the opening fixture in Rawalpindi following a “security alert” from their government.

    The England men’s and women’s teams were each scheduled to play two Twenty20 international matches on October 13 and 14 in Rawalpindi, with the women’s side due to stay on for a three-match One-day International series from Oct 17-21.

    The historic trip would have been the first ever by an England women’s team and the first by their male counterparts since 2005.

  • ‘ECB announcement to visit Pakistan a welcome step forward’: Fawad

    ‘ECB announcement to visit Pakistan a welcome step forward’: Fawad

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that the announcement by the English Cricket Board (ECB) to visit Pakistan next year is a welcome step.

    Taking to Twitter, Fawad said that he would like to thank stars of the cricketing world, diplomatic community, media and cricket lovers around the world for their support for Pakistan Cricket. Fawad Chaudhry has taken the opportunity to claim it a victory for the nation as he tweeted, “Yet again Pakistan has emerged as a strong and resilient nation.”

    Earlier today, after a prolonged silence, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has finally apologised for cancelling Pakistan’s scheduled tour.

    England had to play two T20Is at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on October 13 and 14.

    Read More – ‘Mujhe afsos hai, England’s tour not cancelled over security’: British High Commissioner

    ECB Chairman Ian Watmore, in his first public comments since the ECB pulled out its scheduled tour to Pakistan, offered an apology for last week’s late withdrawal.

    According to a sports journalist Alison Mitchell, Ian has said that the Board took advice on security and player welfare (British High Commissioner confirmed security advice hadn’t changed, despite NZ incident). “The board took the decision based on its own judgments & it didn’t go out to wider consultation.”

    She shared that he said: “We need to rebuild our relationship with Pakistan. This was not the right time, we will do whatever we can regarding Pakistan’s scheduled tour next year.”

    Watmore also confirmed that the decision was not made by the players and said no wider consultations were held. “The board took the decision based on its own judgments and it didn’t go out to wider consultation. Had we decided to go forward with the tour, we’d have had to put the proposals to TEPP (the body that represents England players) and the PCA, but it didn’t reach that point.”