ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: Former and present Pakistan cricketers expressed disappointment on Thursday at India’s decision to cancel next month’s tour of Pakistan, saying the move could harm the sport in the region.

Former Test captain Imran Khan criticised India’s decision to cancel the tour.

“This [tour cancellation] will not help build up trust [between the two countries] and it is a wrong decision by the Indians,” said the Pakistan great while talking to a private TV channel on Thursday.

Imran, who now heads his own political party Tehreek-e-Insaaf, said India should have applied the same criteria as they did when they asked England to return to their country after last month’s attacks in Mumbai.

“When some English cricketers had security concerns going back to India they were told if they didn’t return, it would be a victory for the terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks,” Imran, Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning captain, said.

“While deciding on the Pakistan tour they [Indians] should have thought in similar fashion. The cancellation of the series is not good for cricket in the region.

“It’s a big disappointment and a setback to Asian cricket,” former Test fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz said. “The terrorism acts could happen anywhere in the world, but that does not mean that sports activities should come to a halt,” he added.

“All of us [players] were waiting anxiously for the Indian team, but it’s a disappointment that now they are not coming,” Pakistan opening batsman Salman Butt told reporters in Lahore.

“Once we thought Asia will be a strong bloc in the International Cricket Council (ICC), but if we don’t play against each other in our respective countries how could we become stronger?” Sarfraz said.

“If we play against Sri Lanka [in Pakistan] next month only then we can look forward,” Sarfraz added.

Javed Miandad, former Pakistan captain and the Director General PCB, hopes cricket will return to reduce the current tension between Pakistan and India.

“Cricket is for peace between Pakistan and India. It has eased tensions in the past and I hope cricket will take the lead again,” Miandad said.

Hard-hitting batsman Shahid Afridi said sports is the best way of bringing nations closer.

“Cricket should go on if they [India] want to normalise relations with Pakistan,” he said.

Afridi added Pakistan toured India in 2005 and 2007 despite a tense security situation. “Pakistan never refused and we went there with open hearts because their government and the cricket board gave us the security assurances,” Afridi recalled.

“When our government and the cricket board had given them security assurance this time, I think they should have believed us.”

Meanwhile, chief selector Abdul Qadir said the situation was beyond the control of the BCCI and the PCB.

“We all made extraordinary efforts, but when things go in the hands of governments, nobody can do anything,” he said.—Agencies