KARACHI: The fate of Pakistan’s three-Test tour to England still hangs in the balance but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Monday that it will take government advice before making a final decision.

Following the coronavirus pandemic, the ECB had postponed all cricket activities until July 1 that also included the postponement of the much-awaited ‘Hund­red’ event.

As per the research of Dawn News, the ECB is seriously considering resuming cricket behind closed doors but the future of Pakistan’s tour to England still remains uncertain.

The ECB media manager Kate Miller told Dawn News: “Planning for the summer schedule is progressing. All developments in relation to this are fluid. We are in constant discussions with all cricket boards who are due to tour England.”

As per the ECB Official, the Board will also take Government advice before making a final decision on the Pakistan tour. “Meet­ings will be ongoing over the next few months to reach an outcome of when international cricket could potentially return. This is a long and detailed process and is very much in the early stages of planning. The guidance from the UK Government will emphasise what we can do,” said the ECB official.

It its understood that the ECB is keen to stage Paki­stan series as per schedule considering the financial challenges it is facing at the moment. The PCB, too, is also very keen to play the series but is yet to get a final word from the ECB.

It may be mentioned here that Pakistan’s tour to Neth­erlands has already been postponed because of the current coronavirus pandemic situation.

Pakistan schedule to play three Tests and three T20Is in England and two more T20Is vs Ireland.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2020