Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has said that it was not a big deal that the English cricket team abandoned its tour and that cricket matches had a negative effect on the economy.
While speaking to media today, Punjab Governor Sarwar commented on the English cricket team withdrawing from its October tour in Pakistan and stated that it was not a big issue.
He said that after the English cricket team abandoned its tour, media was rife with discussions on the matter as if it was a big tragedy.
He stated that when cricket matches did happen, the business community complained due to roads and shops closure, adding that economy was affected negatively.
The Punjab governor further said that we should stop ‘crying’ over the matter.
انگلینڈ کی ٹیم نہیں آئی تو نہیں آئی، کرکٹ میچز ہونے سے ہمارا کاروبار تباہ ہو جاتا ہے، اچھا ہے ٹیم نہیں آئی ،
گورنر پنجاب چودھری سرور کی منظق ۔۔ pic.twitter.com/QigxFG3YYS— Imdad Ali Soomro (@imdad_soomro) September 22, 2021
The comments came two days after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) called off its Twenty-20 matches that the English cricket men and women teams were to play in October. The ECB cited the prioritization of the players’ mental and physical health as the reason for the decision.
British journalist Peter Oborne had claimed that the English cricket team’s withdrawal from its Pakistan tour wreaked of a ploy against the country to ‘keep in with’ with the Indian Premier League.
Last Friday, the New Zealand cricket team had left the country abruptly ahead of its first match in Rawalpindi due to security concerns, a move that resulted in widespread lamentation on part of Pakistani cricket fans.
