England Lions have abruptly cancelled the remainder of their cricket tour matches against Pakistan Shaheens in Abu Dhabi, citing escalating security concerns across the Middle East.
The decision, announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), also sees the cancellation of the England Women’s scheduled training camp in the region.
The cancellations follow a significant escalation of tensions, with Iran reportedly targeting Israel and other Middle Eastern countries with missiles.
These strikes are understood to be in retaliation for attacks carried out by US and Israeli forces on Saturday morning, which resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The ECB confirmed on Saturday that the Lions’ second 50-over match against the Shaheens, planned for Sunday in Abu Dhabi, had been called off, leading to the immediate curtailment of the entire tour.
Furthermore, the board stated: “The remainder of the England Men’s Lions’ tour has been cancelled, and we are working to get everyone home as soon as possible.
We have ruled out the possibility of England Women’s T20 World Cup camp taking place in Abu Dhabi given the instability across the Gulf.
“Over the weekend we started work on alternative options that will enable England Women to achieve the same outcomes, and we’ll keep you informed as soon as we finalise a new plan.”
The Lions had been performing well on their tour, which began last month, having secured a 3-0 whitewash against the Shaheens in their T20 series and winning the first one-day match in Abu Dhabi last Friday.
The regional instability has also impacted individuals beyond the touring party.
Former England batter Jonny Bairstow revealed he is currently stranded in Dubai with his family after a holiday, though he was not part of the Lions’ squad.
Bairstow is among more than 100,000 Britons who have registered their presence in the Middle East and may require potential evacuation.
Widespread airspace closures across the Middle East have led to numerous commercial flights being grounded since the air strikes commenced on Saturday.
In a related development, Cricket West Indies announced that the departure of their senior men’s team from India, following their exit from the T20 World Cup, has been delayed “due to international airspace restrictions” in the region.
CWI stated it is “working closely with the International Cricket Council relevant governmental authorities and airline partners to secure the earliest possible safe travel arrangements for the squad and support staff.”
