The England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, Ian Watmore has apologised to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for cancelling the white-ball tour and promised that the English team will tour the country for a three-match Test series and five ODIs next year.
"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 and the board made it with the primary consideration being the welfare and mental health of our players and staff,” Watmore said in his first public statement after cancelling the tour.
"We've recommitted to a proper tour, a scheduled tour, of Pakistan next year and will get on with planning that. We will have longer to plan that trip,” he added.
First, New Zealand had cancelled their limited-overs tour of Pakistan minutes before the start of the first ODI citing security reasons and then England also abandoned their trip.
Watmore also confirmed that the ECB had made a decision without consulting the players.
"The board took the decision based on its own judgments and it didn't go out to consultation. Had we decided to go forward with the tour we'd have had to put the proposals to the players, but it didn't reach that," said Watmore.