England call off tours of Pakistan in wake of New Zealand's withdrawal over security concerns

The ECB board made the decision after seeking counsel on the security situation in the country, following the sudden withdrawal of the New Zealand men's squad minutes before the start of the one-day international series in Rawalpindi last week

England have pulled out of historic men's and women's tours of Pakistan next month.

The ECB board made the decision after seeking counsel on the security situation in the country, following the sudden withdrawal of the New Zealand men's squad minutes before the start of the one-day international series in Rawalpindi last week.

In a statement, the ECB also cited the governing body's responsibility for its players' mental health, and the impact the tour could have on preparations for the T20 World Cup.

No specific mention of player safety or security concerns were mentioned, and the board made a point of apologising to the PCB and cricket fans in Pakistan.

England's men were due to play two T20Is in Rawalpindi on October 13 and 14, while the women were set to feature in six white-ball matches in total during a slightly longer stay in the region.

The men's tour would have been England's first visit to Pakistan since 2006, while the women had never played competitive fixtures in the country.

An ECB statement read: "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 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.

"There is the added complexity for our men's T20 squad. We believe that touring under these conditions will not be ideal preparation for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, where performing well remains a top priority for 2021.

^{A policeman at Rawalpindi after New Zealand abandoned their tour of Pakistan last week}

"We understand that this decision will be a significant disappointment to the PCB, who have worked tirelessly to host the return of international cricket in their country. Their support of English and Welsh cricket over the last two summers has been a huge demonstration of friendship. 

"We are sincerely sorry for the impact this will have on cricket in Pakistan and emphasise an ongoing commitment to our main touring plans there for 2022."

The news will come as a major blow to the PCB, who have spent more than a decade rehabilitating Pakistan's reputation as a host nation in the cricket community following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009.

Over the past three years, a succession of international sides - men and women - have opted to tour, while in early 2020 the country's franchise T20 tournament - the Pakistan Super League - was staged at Pakistani venues in its entirety for the first time.

All of this progress is now under threat.

New Zealand made a hasty departure from Pakistan over the weekend after abandoning their tour on the morning of the first scheduled ODI.

NZC chief executive David White cited a credible threat made directly against the Blackcaps, and conversations between New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern and her Pakistani equivalent Imran Khan could not convince the tourists to stay.

The PCB were frustrated by the Kiwis' decision, with chief executive Wasim Khan saying: "There are two elements any board looks at. One is the advisory a government has for citizens of their nation going to any country. Secondly, it's around the security provision that is put in place directly for the team.

"Both of those angles we've been told there's a clean bill of health and there's confidence on both sides. But ultimately, the decision is the ECB board's, and we'll have to wait and see."