Pakistan PM Imran Khan gives nod to PCB for England tour

Karachi: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday (June 15) approved national cricket team’s tour of England from the end of this month.

The clearance from Imran, also a former Pakistan captain, came when PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani met him in Islamabad and updated him on the cricket matters.

“The prime minister told Mani that the Pakistan team should go to England for the Test and T20 series as people want to see cricket and other sports activities to resume despite the coronavirus pandemic,” a PCB source said.

The source said the premier had, however, told the PCB chief to ensure that a proper protocol was put in place by the England Cricket Board to ensure the safety and health of all the players and officials who will be touring England. Pakistan team is scheduled to reach England by the end of this month to play a three Test and three T20 series in August and September.

The 29 players and 14 officials will spend 14-days in quarantine after reaching England and then another three to four weeks in a bio-secure environment. In isolation training, they will having nets and practice matches among themselves before the first Test.

The source said that Imran was briefed about the developments in Pakistan cricket and he told Mani specifically that no employee should be terminated in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “Imran made it clear to Mani not to end the services of anyone until the pandemic is going on due to the dire economic forecast and problems facing the people.”