English cricket team should check schedule, see when they can visit Pakistan - FM

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi (right) poses for a picture with his British counterpart Elizabeth Truss (left) in London on September 28, 2021. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan Foreign Office)

• The foreign minister made the statement shortly after the chairman of England and Wales Cricket Board resigned
• The ECB had canceled the Pakistan tour of its men’s and women’s cricket teams last month, citing concerns about traveling to the region

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Thursday he had raised English cricket team’s decision to cancel its Pakistan tour with his British counterpart in London, adding his country’s stance on the matter had seemingly gained some traction in the United Kingdom.
Qureshi issued the statement soon after the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Ian Watmore, announced his resignation due to the requirements of his job amid the coronavirus pandemic that were beginning to take a “personal toll” on him.
The ECB had decided to pull out its men’s and women’s teams from the Pakistan tour last month, citing concerns about traveling to the region.
“I had raised the issue of unilateral cancelation of English cricket team’s tour to Pakistan with my British counterpart in London during my recent visit to the United Kingdom,” the foreign minister said. “The British foreign secretary told me that the decision was taken by the cricket board, not his government. He had also assured to convey Pakistan’s reservations to the relevant authorities. Now this news [of the ECB chairman’s resignation] shows that Pakistan’s viewpoint has been seemingly registered [by the UK authorities].”
Qureshi said such decisions caused significant problems for players and cricket fans, adding the ECB’s cancelation of the Pakistan tour had also led to financial losses to his country’s cricket broad and broadcast channels.
“The English cricket team should check their schedule and see when they can visit Pakistan next,” he continued.
Prior to the ECB’s decision, New Zealand Cricket had decided to fly back its players from Islamabad without allowing them to play a single scheduled match.
The decision of canceling the Pakistan tour by two major cricketing nations isolated the South Asian as a cricket host despite making rigorous efforts to bring back international cricket to the country after March 2009 when the Sri Lankan team came under militant attack in Lahore.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said, however, it would take up the matter with the concerned authorities.
The PCB chairman told a Senate body on Thursday that New Zealand was also planning to reschedule its Pakistan tour.