‘This western bloc gets united’: Ramiz Raja reacts on England, New Zealand tour pullout

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja on Monday expressed his disappointment over England Cricket Board’s (ECB) decision to call off the men’s and women’s cricket tours.

Raja said England has failed a member of their cricket fraternity when it needed it the most.

“Disappointed with England, pulling out of their commitment & failing a member of their Cricket fraternity when it needed it most. Survive we will inshallah,” Ramiz Raja tweeted.

Disappointed with England, pulling out of their commitment & failing a member of their Cricket fraternity when it needed it most. Survive we will inshallah. A wake up call for Pak team to become the best team in the world for teams to line up to play them without making excuses.

— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) September 20, 2021

“I am severely disappointed in England’s withdrawal but it was expected because this western bloc gets united unfortunately and tries to back each other. So you can take any decision on the basis of security threat and perception. There was a sense of anger because first New Zealand got away without sharing information about the threat they were facing,” said the 1992 World Cup team member in a video shared by the PCB.

PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja reacts to @ECB_cricket decision to withdraw their sides from next month’s tour of Pakistan pic.twitter.com/hvPqHqdBcj

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 20, 2021

The PCB chairman further said that it is a wake up call for Pakistan team to become the best for other teams to line up to play against them without making excuses.

“A wake up call for Pakistan team to become the best team in the world for teams to line up to play them without making excuse,” he said.

ECB on Monday announced that it has has reluctantly decided to withdraw both men’s and women’s teams from the tour to Pakistan.

“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.