England have agreed to play two postponed men’s Twenty20 internationals in Pakistan next year after the heads of the countries’ cricket boa...
England have agreed to play two postponed men’s Twenty20 internationals in Pakistan next year after the heads of the countries’ cricket boards met in Lahore on Tuesday.
Pakistan officials and fans were left fuming after England controversially withdrew their men’s and women’s teams from T20I series in September, citing “growing dangers in travelling to this region”.
England, who were due to play those men’s matches on October 13 and 14, also cited worries over players’ mental and physical health in Covid bubbles as reasons for the withdrawal. That came a week after New Zealand abandoned a tour of Pakistan minutes before the first one-day international in Rawalpindi, citing a security alert.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja blamed “a western bloc” for trying to destroy his country’s cricket.
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison met Raja and the pair agreed to reschedule the men’s matches.
“England will play two additional men’s Twenty20 internationals to the five T20Is (seven in all) originally planned when they will tour Pakistan in September-October 2022,” a PCB release said.
Under the Future Tours Programme, England were already due to tour Pakistan, first for five T20Is and then for three Tests in November-December 2022. Harrison said he travelled to Pakistan to solve the matter.
“Myself and ECB’s...
