PCB Expects England To 'Do The Right Thing'; Optimistic Of A Reciprocal Tour In 2022

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have followed the West Indies, deciding to travel to the United Kingdom amid the risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite not striking a deal for the reciprocal tour, the PCB expects for the England Cricket Board (ECB) to return the favour in 2022 by visiting Pakistan.

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The Pakistan national team will begin their expedition of England from the 5th of August with the first of the three Tests in Manchester. They will also play three T20 internationals against England.

All six games would take place in Southampton and Manchester under bio-secure environments. The tour has gone ahead even as ten out of 29 Pakistan players were diagnosed with COVID-19 before boarding their flight for England.

PCB Chief Wasim Khan remarked that the English team’s visit would hold them in excellent stead for the future. While England are slated to tour Pakistan in 2022 for the first time since 2005, Wasim Khan stated that now is not the time to strike a deal with them. He mentioned that talks would take place soon and the PCB is optimistic of the ECB opting for the right thing.

“Will that benefit Pakistan cricket in future? Of course, it will. “Have we struck a deal with them right now for them to come? … Of course we didn’t. Now is not the time to do that. It’s all about timing. Conversations will take place with ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) and they will do the right thing by us as well,” Khan told a PCB Podcast.

PCB opted to put the game’s interests before its own:

Khan went on to say that they have arrived at decisions, which are not only good for their nation, but what’s in the welfare of global cricket. They wanted to follow West Indies’ footsteps of showing their solidarity to support the return of the sport. As for international cricket in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka toured the nation last December and this year for bilateral series after ten years due to the uncertain political situation in the nation.

“We are making decisions not just for what’s good for Pakistan, but what’s right for global cricket. Showing solidarity is absolutely the right thing for us to be doing. West Indies are doing it, we’ve done it,” he added.

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