West Indies legend Michael Holding has slammed the “western arrogance” of the England and Wales Cricket Board regarding their decision to pull out of a planned tour of Pakistan.
Last month, the ECB announced that planned trips for both the men’s and women’s limited overs teams had been cancelled.
“The ECB Board convened this weekend to discuss these extra England Women’s and Men’s games in Pakistan and we can confirm that the Board has reluctantly decided to withdraw both teams from the October trip,” an ECB statement read.
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“The mental and physical well-being of our players and support staff remains our highest priority and this is even more critical given the times we are currently living in.”
New Zealand also withdrew of their series in Pakistan, citing a security threat.
“The ECB statement doesn’t wash with me. No substance,” Holding said after receiving the Cricket Writers’ Club awards night.
“Nobody wants to come forward and face up to anything because they know what they did was wrong.
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“So they put out a statement and hid behind a statement. It just reminds me of the rubbish they did with Black Lives Matter.
“I won’t go back into that because I’ve said enough about that. But what that signal sends to me, is the same western arrogance. I will treat you how I feel like treating you, it doesn’t matter what you think, I’ll just do what I want.”
The former pace bowler compared the actions of the English with the sacrifices that Pakistan made earlier in the pandemic.
“Pakistan went to England before vaccines were available for six or seven weeks,” said Holding.
“They stayed, they played their cricket, they honoured what England wanted them to honour, to save England’s butt, to put it mildly.”
England’s men’s team will still travel to the UAE for the upcoming T20 World Cup, also in October.
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