Michael Vaughan, the former England captain on Sunday stated that it would be ‘sensible’ to move matches against Pakistan to UAE rather than completely cancelling the tour. England is scheduled to travel to Rawalpindi in October for two Twenty20 Internationals, in what will be their first visit to Pakistan since 2005.
Michael Vaughan’s statement came after the Blackcaps abandoned their tour of Pakistan following a New Zealand government security alert on Friday.
Michael Vaughan: It’s Sensible To Try And Move England’s Pakistan Games To The UAE Rather Than Cancelling The Tour
New Zealand was slated to play their first match on Pakistan soil since 2003. The side was to play hosts on Friday in the first of three ODIs in Rawalpindi, before moving to Lahore for a five-match T20 series.
Michael Vaughan has suggested a way to salvage England’s upcoming limited-overs tour of Pakistan, which looks in doubt after the New Zealand men’s team abandoned a white-ball tour of the Asian country citing security concerns moments before toss in the 1st ODI between the two teams. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is under pressure not to send its men’s and women’s teams to Pakistan and has asked its security experts for a report.
Michael Vaughan reckoned the series should be moved to the UAE “if it’s deemed unsafe to travel”. Although some international cricket and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches have happened in the country, major Test nations are yet to travel to Pakistan for full-fledged tours. West Indies are scheduled to travel to Pakistan later this year. Australia is also due to tour Pakistan early next year.
“It would seem sensible to me to try and move England’s Pakistan games to the UAE rather than cancel the tour if it’s deemed unsafe to travel .. !! Hopefully the games for the Men’s & Women teams can take place rather than a full cancellation,” tweeted Michael Vaughan.
It would seem sensible to me to try and move England’s Pakistan games to the UAE rather than cancel the tour if it’s deemed unsafe to travel .. !! Hopefully the games for the Men’s & Women teams can take place rather than a full cancellation ..
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 19, 2021
For years, Pakistan has played most of their home matches in the UAE, which has become a home away from the original home for its players after international teams refused to travel to the country following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009. But it is to be seen whether the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will agree to take their games back to UAE after having hosted some international teams at home.
Six years after the 2009 incident, Zimbabwe became the first Full Member to play in the country in 2015 in a limited-overs series. While not an international match, the 2017 Pakistan Super League final was undoubtedly the biggest game played in Pakistan since 2009. In the same year, captained by Faf du Plessis, a World XI side played the home side in a three-match T20I series, which they lost 2-1.
New Zealand Team Arrived In Dubai After Tour Cancellation
Of this group, 24 will return to their country New Zealand over the next week or so, as flights and MIQ rooms in New Zealand become available. The MIQ arrangements initially booked for all of these squad members at the end of the Pakistan tour will now be cancelled. The balance of the touring party will remain in the UAE and join up with the Black Caps T20 World Cup squad, ahead of that marquee tournament which will commence on October 17.