Cancellation of England's tour to Pakistan was 'writing on the wall': Shoaib Akhtar

photo courtesy: Hindustan times 

Former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar slammed the England Cricket Board's (ECB) decision to postpone its tour of Pakistan on Monday, calling it "writing on the wall" and accusing them of damaging Islamabad's image.

"They're all conspirators. If New Zealand decides to cancel the tour, England is anticipated to follow suit "Soon after the ECB declared that their squad would not be touring Pakistan, the fast bowler informed Geo News

"The outcome was set since England, Australia, and New Zealand had discussed it. They sought to create a narrative against Pakistan, which they accomplished successfully "According to Akhtar.

If they are "hesitatingly canceling" the trip, they should first come here to assess the situation and see how things are in Pakistan, according to Akhtar.

When "they want to evacuate their forces," the former cricketer added, "they cannot find a better place to seek help from than Pakistan." "When they can't locate a flight, PIA emerges as the best option."

The former cricketer stated that it was past time for PCB to operate as a company because, without money, no other counterpart would take the board seriously.

If the series had been worth 50 million pounds, England would have played it in Afghanistan versus Pakistan, according to Akhtar, who urged the board to stand up.

"They managed to pick out Pakistan — and they were successful," he added, emphasizing the importance of PCB lobbying at the ICC.

The ECB had chosen to cancel its tour to Pakistan only days after New Zealand had dropped out of their series owing to "security" concerns at the last minute.

 The ECB, on the other hand, stated that the "mental and physical well-being" of its players and support personnel remained a top concern, which is all the more important given the "times we are presently living in."

On October 13 and 14, England's men and women's sides were scheduled to play two Twenty20 matches in Rawalpindi. On October 17, 19, and 21, the women's squad was scheduled to play three one-day internationals in Pakistan.