SM
Barcelona vs. Brann: 6 hrs 36 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Ramiz Raja fears 'West versus rest' split in international cricket

:Headline: Ramiz Raja fears 'West versus rest' split in international cricket:
The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman was responding to the cancellation of England's tour next month.
Sports Mole

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja has warned of a potential divide in international cricket and a "West versus rest" mindset as outrage over England's decision to cancel their tour of the country continues to grow.

Cricket in Pakistan is at a crossroads after the hasty exit of the New Zealand men's team on Friday morning – coming against the backdrop of a "credible and specific threat" to team security – and the England and Wales Cricket Board's subsequent decision to pull out of a historic joint men's and women's trip next month.

In announcing its decision to cancel a first Pakistan trip since 2005, the ECB conspicuously failed to mention security concerns, with an official statement instead focusing on a broader unease over travel to the region as well as bubble fatigue.

An official apology as well a commitment to complete a full Test tour in 2022 has done little to soften the blow in Pakistan, with Raja barely able to hide his fury given his country's willingness to travel to England last summer at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

He said he now expected Australia to pull out of their own tour early next year and believed the West Indies would be "jittery" about making their next scheduled visit.

Kicking off with a reference to his previous success on social media, he said: "How I wish I was still a YouTuber, rather than the chairman of the cricket board because I would have absolutely taken on New Zealand and England unabashedly. In a responsible position I have to make a measured statement here.

"I feel we were used and then we were binned, which is extremely frustrating. I feel we are certainly up against a Western mindset and a Western bloc. I'm just looking at patterns that have developed this Western bloc of not understanding the issues, sitting 20,000 miles away and making a call on our security agencies.

"We have the best security agencies, the most battle-hardened security agencies in the world. Not sharing your fear or threat perception with them is ridiculing our DNA in a way.

Asked if he feared for the sport's existing international order, he responded: "Yes, I'm viewing it like that and I'm sure the other Asian countries feel the same way...as if you are living on the edge when it comes to playing the Western bloc. That we have to be at our best when we invite them here. That things have to be 2000 per cent correct for them to travel to Asia. It's just not right.

"They have these blocs of countries and it's graded, there is the top tier and the not so top tier. I don't want this 'Asia versus West' or 'West versus rest' debate to take precedence over the game of cricket but it appears if security threat perception is going to be made as a get-out clause, any member could have a problem with any other member.

"I can get up tomorrow morning and say that we are not comfortable playing in a certain part of England because we feel there could be this little threat.

"We've tried to create a bond, we've played by the book so many years, we've made sure to go out and play in tough times, in quarantine times. We have been a very responsible member of this fraternity but in return we get nothing."

Raja also suggested he had no confidence in England delivering on their promise to tour next year, following a phone call with ECB counterpart Ian Watmore, and that the PCB could seek to make alternative arrangements.

Ian Watmore was unable to reassure Pakistan (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

"I spoke with Ian, chairman of ECB, and said 'what is the guarantee of England coming back and playing here in 2022?," he said.

"Because a month before that tour you can easily quote tiredness, players being spooked again, sick of living in a bubble or a threat perception that will probably be not shared with us.

"He clearly had no answer for that, so we'll clearly have a back-up plan for sure. I don't know how the board is structured in England. He appeared as if the decision was out of his hands, that there were other influences who really made the call on his behalf."

body check tags ::

amp_article__464715 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-09-21 16:05:03:
html db last update - 2021-09-21 15:56:19 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Ramiz Raja

Click here for more stories about England

Share this article now:
GC
Read Next:
What was the safety issue and how has England's decision gone down in Pakistan?
>


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Ramiz Raja Ian Watmore Cricket
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
What was the safety issue and how has England's decision gone down in Pakistan?
Lionel Messi reveals decision over retirement

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

How Man United could line up against Brentford

NEW

1

HM

Preview: Brentford vs. Man Utd - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

2

PB

Preview: Spurs vs. Luton - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PS

Spurs 'reignite interest in former academy starlet'

NEW

4

S'

Real Madrid injury, suspension list vs. Athletic

5

RM

Arsenal 'draw up 10-man striker shortlist'

NEW

6

A'

Arsenal injury, suspension list vs. Man City - Saka, Gabriel

7

AI

Liverpool injury, suspension list vs. Brighton

8

LI

Key Man City defender 'serious doubt for Arsenal clash'

9

KM

Liverpool 'hopeful defender has avoided serious injury'

10

L'


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .