England to assess security for Pakistan tour

The England and Wales Cricket Board says it will assess the ground situation in Pakistan and make a decision on England's tour in the next 48 hours.

Published : Sep 17, 2021 18:00 IST

Imad Wasim celebrates after dismissing Jonny Bairstow during Pakistan's tour of England in 2020. England hasn't toured Pakistan since 2005-06. - GETTY IMAGES
Imad Wasim celebrates after dismissing Jonny Bairstow during Pakistan's tour of England in 2020. England hasn't toured Pakistan since 2005-06. - GETTY IMAGES
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Imad Wasim celebrates after dismissing Jonny Bairstow during Pakistan's tour of England in 2020. England hasn't toured Pakistan since 2005-06. - GETTY IMAGES

Hours after New Zealand cancelled its cricket tour of Pakistan, England's scheduled tour to the Asian nation was thrown into doubt with the ECB saying that it will assess the ground situation in the strife-torn country and make a decision on the series in the next 48 hours.

New Zealand decided to pull its team out of Pakistan just ahead of the first One-Day International after its cricket board received a security threat. England is scheduled to travel to Rawalpindi in October for two Twenty20 Internationals, in what will be its first visit to Pakistan since 2005.

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"We're aware of New Zealand's decision to pull out of the Pakistan tour due to a security alert. We are liaising with our security team who are on the ground in Pakistan to fully understand the situation," the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement.

"The ECB Board will then decide in the next 24-48 hours whether our planned tour should proceed," the statement read further.

The cancellation of the New Zealand tour is a big setback to the revival of international cricket in Pakistan. Major Test nations are yet to travel to Pakistan for full-fledged tours.

West Indies is scheduled to travel to Pakistan later this year. Australia is also due to tour Pakistan early next year.

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