Holding berates ‘arrogant’ England

FORMER West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding says that England’s decision to cancel its short tours to Pakistan amounts to “Western arrogance”.

England’s men’s and women’s white ball teams were due to tour this month, but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) pulled out because of concerns over “mental and physical well-being”.

“The ECB statement doesn’t wash with me. No substance,” said Holding, who played 60 Tests and 102 one-day internationals in his glittering career.

“Nobody wants to come forward and face up to anything because they know what they did was wrong. 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.”

It would have been the first tour of Pakistan by an England women’s team and the first by their male counterparts since 2005.

Ahead of England’s announcement, New Zealand had also pulled out of its own series in Pakistan, citing a security threat.

The Pakistan Cricket Board believes the country is safe to host international cricket despite the Kiwis’ hasty exit.