Security personnel walk in an enclosure at the Rawalpindi cricket Stadium after the New Zealand cricket team pulled out of a Pakistan cricket tour over security concerns in Rawalpindi. File / Reuters

Gulf Today Report

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday announced the cancellation of their upcoming tour of Pakistan next month to play limited-overs matches by their men's and women's teams.

Citing the concern over travelling to the region over security issues, the England cricket chiefs withdrew just three days after New Zealand abandoned their tour to the country for the same reason.

Newly appointed Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Ramiz Raja expressed his disappointment over ECB’s decision. "Disappointed with England, pulling out of their commitment and failing a member of their Cricket fraternity when it needed it most, he tweeted.

The visitors (men and women) teams were scheduled to play two T20 matches in Rawalpindi on Oct.13 and 14, to be followed by a three-match ODI series of eves from Oct.17 to 21, as the men’s squad were supposed to leave for the UAE to participate in the Twenty20 World Cup, beginning just two days after the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) gets over.