British High Commissioner Christian Turner has confirmed that the England cricket team has recommitted to come to Pakistan in autumn 2022.
In an exclusive conversation on different issues at 24News HD TV program, Nasim Zehra @8 on Wednesday night, Turner expressed views on Pak-England cricket in detail.
About the cancellation of the England team’s tour to Pakistan, Turner said, “This was a decision taken by England and Wales Cricket Boards and they are independent and don’t take instructions from me or anyone official there.”
He said, “I have tried to clear that this decision was not given by my advice and was not a decision on security concerns and travel advisory.” “If I had security concerns, then it would on travel advisory”, he added.
The high commissioner said, “Initially this decision (of cancellation the tour) was taken by New Zealand and it was a sovereign decision. And when England followed it, people thought some conspiracy behind this. But England Cricket Board (ECB) put up a statement and cleared that it was about the schedule of the World Cup.
During the program, he shared the good news that England would come to Pakistan next year to play cricket matches. He said, “England had recommitted and agreed to tour in autumn 2022 and will also play two extra T20. This tour would be four to five weeks long in which we will watch test, one day, and T20s matches.”
Commenting on the Pakistan and England teams defeat in the semifinals of the World T20 Cup, he said in Urdu “Muje Bohat afsos hy”.
On a query about any possibility of trilateral cricket series, he said, “It was really in the hands of cricket authorities and most of it comes to the world cricket schedule. All teams have schedules for the next three years for playing leagues, tournaments or international matches so actually finding these windows are difficult and it is not the easiest way to say that we are coming this week or the next two months. We have to plan first.
“But I would be happy if they (England) come to play here (in Pakistan) after 17 years,” he concluded.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8mMZP-Ebrw