England call off Pakistan tour

England have withdrawn their men’s and women’s teams from next month’s tour of Pakistan, the country’s cricket board said yesterday, three days after New Zealand abandoned their tour amid security concerns.

The England teams were each scheduled to play two Twenty20 international matches on October 13 and 14 in Rawalpindi, with the women’s side due to stay on for a three-match ODI series from October 17-21.

“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,” the ECB said in a statement.