England's cricketers have admitted to their worries and concerns over going back to Pakistan following the attempted assassination of Imran Khan.
The former Prime Minister and former World Cup-winning cricket captain was shot twice in the leg during a political rally in Gujranwala, about 150 km outside Lahore, on Thursday. Khan is expected to recover, however the political unrest which saw protests take place in Islamabad, near to where the first Test is due to be played on December 1st, is a concern to players.
“It’s obviously not great is it?” said Mark Wood, who toured Pakistan with the T20 side last month and is due to return. “First of all he’s an ex-cricketer so it’s close to home for us.
“You respect ex-players and everybody who’s played the game. It’s obviously hugely sad news to hear that as a group.
“From the security we had on the recent T20 tour I can only mention what we came across and it was fantastic. We were looked after really well, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried by that because you’re going back there when there’s been trouble.
“It’ll be for people above me to decide whatever happens. But obviously it’s worrying when you’re going back there as a cricketer and there’s unrest in the country.
“We trust our security guys that tell us what to do, so if they say all’s fine then we go but I don’t know if this changes it.” It is still early days as far as the ECB are concerned and the tour is still slated to take place at present.
The Irish women’s cricket team are on tour in Pakistan and continued to play the first of three ODIs in Lahore on the Friday on the advice of their security advisors. They were told that the threat level had not changed for their tour and it will continue as planned for now.
England’s first Test tour to Pakistan in 17 years carries huge geopolitical and economic significance for the country, but further unrest could place the tour in jeopardy, with player fears the main reason a tour was called off in 2021.
