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Michael Holding ( Image Credit: Twitter)
West Indies legend Michael Holding has lashed out at England for pulling out of the Pakistan tour. England men’s and women's teams were set to play two T20Is in Pakistan, while the women’s team had three additional ODI scheduled. However, with New Zealand cancelling their Pakistan tour citing security issues, England too decided to follow the same route. Holding said England’s decision to cancel the tour smacked Western arrogance.
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"The ECB statement doesn't wash with me. No substance," Holding was quoted as saying by BBC Sport after receiving the Cricket Writers' Club Peter Smith Award on Tuesday.
"Nobody wants to come forward and face up to anything because they know what they did was wrong. So they put out a statement and hid behind a statement. It just reminds me of the rubbish they did with Black Lives Matter," he said.
"I won't go back into that because I've said enough about that. But what that signal sends to me, is the same Western arrogance.
I will treat you how I feel like treating you, it doesn't matter what you think, I'll just do what I want," he added.
Pakistan had made strenuous efforts to bring cricket back to the country and had done well in the last couple of years, hosting teams like Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, West Indies and South Africa. However, the series against New Zealand and England would have been a big step forward. Holding expressed his sympathy with Pakistan Cricket and said they saved England's summer by visiting the country in the pandemic but got nothing in return. He added that England would have never done the same to India.
"Pakistan went to England before vaccines were available for six or seven weeks," said Holding, who played 60 Tests for West Indies before becoming a celebrated commentator.
"They stayed, they played their cricket, they honoured what England wanted them to honour, to save England's butt, to put it mildly.
"Four days in Pakistan? I'm absolutely sure they would not have done that to India, because India is rich and powerful."