English cricket's top administrator has flown to Pakistan in a bid to repair relations damaged by the cancellation of October's T20 tour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A spokesperson for the England and Wales Cricket Board told AFP in London on Monday that chief executive Tom Harrison had travelled for meetings with Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Former Test batsman Raja said he felt "humiliated" when the ECB announced in September it was calling off the tour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England, who last played in Pakistan 16 years ago, are due to play a Test series there in 2022.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The ECB cited "increasing concerns about travelling to the region" in cancelling October's tour, just days after New Zealand also pulled out of a tour to Pakistan over security concerns.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Christian Turner, confirmed the decision was taken by the ECB on the grounds of player welfare.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The first trip by the England men's side to Pakistan since 2005 was only meant to last four days, with two Twenty20 matches in Rawalpindi on October 13 and 14.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Two women's T20 matches were scheduled on the same days as double-headers, with three women's one-day internationals to follow in the same city.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan travelled to England last year at a time when Covid-19 infection rates in Britain were among the highest in the world for a three-match Test series and T20 series that saved the ECB millions in television rights deals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Consequently, there was a bitter reaction in Pakistan when England called off the October fixtures.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It's the feeling of being used and then binned," Raja told reporters in September.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"One feels slighted, one feels humiliated because withdrawal doesn't have an answer," he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Harrison's visit to Pakistan is expected to be brief as he is due in the United Arab Emirates later this week for an International Cricket Council chief executives' meeting.<\/p>\r\n\r\n