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Wasim Jaffer, Michael Vaughan call out ECB hypocrisy after England calls off Pakistan tour

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Former cricketers players have criticised the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and called the decision of calling off the scheduled tour of Pakistan an act of double standards and hypocrisy.

The ECB called off the tour citing anxiousness of the players who were to travel and live in a “controlled environment” before the big tournament such as the ICC World T20 and the observers of the game pointed out that they could have sent players who would have shown willingness to play in Pakistan in place of outright cancellation.

As per an ESPNCricinfo report, the ECB did not cancel the tour based on the “security threat” that had led to New Zealand’s departure from Pakistan last week, but the decision was taken considering the anxiousness related to the tour. 

Former cricketers such as Michael Vaughan and Wasim Jaffer supported the statement of the newly-elected chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, who did not hide the “disappointment” on England’s refusal to travel. 

They pointed out the tour of England Pakistan had embarked upon to help the ECB’s trim the financial implications of the pandemic while the UK was reeling under a severe wave of Covid-19 last year and criticised the ECB for not being grateful and not offering reciprocal support.

Also, the ECB and NZC’s decision to carry on with the ongoing series between England Women and New Zealand Women even after a reported “bomb threat” also highlighted the double standards of the ECB.

Opinions are divided among the fans and experts of the game on the issue of whether the ECB took the right decision to call off the tour, but it was widely accepted that the PCB deserved better treatment from the ECB. Some of the experts also argue that the relationship between the ECB and the PCB can hit a new low in the near future and the PCB can also go as far as cancelling the next tour by England scheduled for next year and call on a “reliable” partner to make up for the losses.

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