ECB Chairman Apologises, Commits to Tour of Pakistan in 2022
The PCB has received an apology from ECB chairman Ian Whatmore who admits that the relationship between the boards has taken a beating and must be rebuilt. Whatmore has addressed the media for the first time since England’s withdrawal from the women’s and men’s tours of Pakistan shortly after NZ cited a specific security threat before an abrupt abandonment of their tour of the country.
Contents
Whatmore Tries to Clear Air after Tour Cancellation
Giving an interview to a media outlet, Whatmore admitted that the ECB had factored in their decision to withdraw while prioritising player welfare. “I’m very sorry to anyone who feels hurt or let down by our decision, particularly in Pakistan. The decision the board made was an extremely difficult one.”
“I won’t go into details, but we received advice on security and player welfare and took the decision we made. We had to make it quickly because of the short term to the World Cup and the New Zealand exodus from Pakistan. They were all factors, but the primary consideration was the welfare of the players.”
Whatmore added that “The board took the decision based on its own judgments and it didn’t go out to wider consultation. Had we decided to go forward with the tour, we’d have had to put the proposals to TEPP (the body that represents England players) and the PCA, but it didn’t reach that point.”