Pakistan PM Imran Khan gives green signal for England tour

The Pakistan cricket team has now received the final green signal to go on for the tour of England. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved the national cricket team’s tour of England which will start in August. According to the reports, the clearance and green signal from the Prime Minister came after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) met him.

PCB Chief Ehsan Mani and Imran Khan met in Islamabad where the PM was updated with all cricket matters happening in the country. Being a former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, it was quite obvious that Imran would approve the tour.

“The prime minister told Mani that the Pakistan team should go to England for the Test and T20 series as people want to see cricket and other sports activities to resume despite the coronavirus pandemic,” a PCB source said, according to the reports on Hindustan Times.

Imran Khan made it clear to Ehsan Mani not to end the services of anyone

The source has also revealed that PM Imran Khan has told the PCB Chairman to make sure all the rules and restrictions are followed properly by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It has been reported that the PM has shown utmost concern towards the health and safety of the players and officials who will take the flight to England.

The Pakistan team will travel to England at the end of this month. Upon arrival, the team is expected to quarantine themselves for two weeks in a bio-secure environment. They are scheduled to play three Tests and three T20I in August and early September.

The 29 players along with 14 officials will stay three or four weeks in the bio-secure environment after their initial quarantine period of 14 days. There will be isolation training organized where the team will have nets and practice matches between themselves before the first Test.

The source said that Imran was briefed about the developments in Pakistan cricket and he told Mani specifically that no employee should be terminated in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “Imran made it clear to Mani not to end the services of anyone until the pandemic is going on due to the dire economic forecast and problems facing the people.”