British High Commissioner, Christian Turner, came into the crosshairs of English and Pakistani cricket fans after he uploaded a video apologizing for the cancellation of the tour by the England Cricket Board.
On Monday evening, he uploaded the video on his Twitter platform expressing solidarity and also claiming that British High Commission Pakistan has nothing to do with England Cricket Board calling off the series.
He said that British High Commission did not change the travel advisory for Pakistan or issued any threat alert. It is the independent decision of the England Cricket Board to cancel the tour. Christian Turner added that he considers himself the biggest champion in normalizing international cricket in Pakistan. He hoped that the cricket grounds of Pakistan would bustle with crowds again.
sad but too much cricket for England already this year, now we have T20 world cup and the Ashes shortly, @ECB_cricket schedule too hectic this year! NB England scheduled to tour Pakistan next year https://t.co/AaJEZw2xA2
— Rob Walker (@RobWalk79963727) September 22, 2021
Who in Pakistan do you think you are fooling with this? Seriously?
— Asfandyar Bhittani (@AsfandBhittani) September 21, 2021
Don’t think it’s possible for the ECB to have handled this worse.
— Max Power (@MaximusOwen) September 21, 2021
This is absolutely devastating for the ECB: https://t.co/k6vmIj80Kl
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) September 21, 2021
They honestly don't give a shit, given this mess.
Pakistan come to us when we were ravaged by Covid, stayed in a bubble for weeks, saved the ECB's coffers and then we can't do a one WEEK tour. It's absolutely pathetic.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) September 21, 2021
His statements, however, failed to console the disgruntled and disappointed fans. Netizens targeted him for pretense and also called out the England Cricket Board for a preposterous decision to call off the tour.
Aakhir main jeet cricket kee hogee #PakVsEng@iramizraja @TheRealPCB pic.twitter.com/JNgOMcuD7Q
— Christian Turner (@CTurnerFCDO) September 21, 2021
Read more: After New Zealand, England cancels cricket tours of Pakistan
English cricket fans slam ECB
Not only Pakistani fans but English cricket fans also slammed ECB for pulling out from the cricket series without a reasonable explanation. They added that it is disgraceful for ECB to cancel the series when Pakistan Cricket Team had toured England during the extreme COVID-19 emergency. English fans believed that a week-long tour would not have caused any damage and it was due on ECB to return the favor.
They called Pakistan a strong cricket ally of England and they felt extremely disappointed. English cricket fans expressed solidarity with Pakistan and cricket fans.
The England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement it had “reluctantly decided to withdraw both teams from the October trip”.
Read more:After 16 years, England Cricket Team coming to Pakistan in 2021
“We know there are increasing concerns about traveling to the region and believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted Covid environments.”