Islamabad United opener, Alex Hales believes that England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) decision to cancel their tour to Pakistan made no sense.
“I think after Pakistan came to England during COVID-19, and helped out the ECB massively, so for them to cancel that tour made zero sense to me whatsoever,” the English batter said during an interview.
Hales is among the 24 English cricketers participating in this year’s PSL. While some of them are already in action, the others, who were away due to national duties, will be joining their teams soon.
However, in October 2021, ECB had called off their short tour to Pakistan, citing players’ physical and mental well-being.
When asked what message the English cricketers’ presence sends, the flamboyant batter said it shows that ECB’s decision to cancel the tour made no sense.
“[It was] only a short tour. So, it didn’t make any sense to me,” Hales added.
To a question about his experience in Pakistan, the 33-year-old said that the country is a great place to play cricket.
“I’ve been here four or five times now and get looked after really well. Whenever we come here, the people are very hospitable, and cricket is always really good. The fans here are crazy for it. So, it’s a great place to come and play cricket; I absolutely feel safe,” Hales added.
The cricketer, however, complained that despite his multiple visits to the country, he did not get the opportunity to explore the country.
“The first two years, they were quite strict with security, and in the last couple of years, it’s been COVID and bubbles and stuff like that. So, unfortunately, I’ve not really had much of a chance to explore,” he said.
Hales was hopeful that the COVID-19 situation would “chill out” in the next couple of years, and he would get a chance to see the country, which he has heard is beautiful.
