The second unofficial one-day match between Pakistan Shaheen and England Lions scheduled to be played in Abu Dhabi on Sunday has been canceled due to rising security concerns in the region
“The safety of our teams and staff is our top priority,” the ECB said in a statement.
“Tomorrow’s second 50-over match between the England Men’s Lions and Pakistan Shaheen in Abu Dhabi will not take place and we will postpone the England Women’s trip to Abu Dhabi next week.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board also confirmed that the match scheduled for the day had been canceled and players and team officials were told to stay in their hotels as a precaution.
The move follows advice from the England and Wales Cricket Board regarding the situation in Abu Dhabi.
“Practice matches will also not take place and teams are advised to remain indoors,” the PCB said in a statement, adding that the safety of players and support staff remained the top priority.
The PCB remains in contact with the ECB and is monitoring developments.
Decisions on the remaining matches will be made after the airspace in the Middle East reopens. The board will decide whether Shaheen should return to Pakistan or continue with the series based on the security situation.
The disruption followed a coordinated U.S. and Israeli military strike on Iran on February 28. Tehran responded with missile attacks on parts of the Gulf, leading some countries to close or restrict their airspace.
The United States and Israel launched the offensive on Saturday, with U.S. President Donald Trump urging the Iranian public to overthrow its leadership.
The attack closed airspace in parts of the Gulf and affected international airlines including Emirates and Air India.
Air India said it has canceled all flights to and from major Gulf cities – Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Muscat, Riyadh and Tel Aviv – until further notice.
Dubai International Airport has suspended operations indefinitely due to airspace restrictions following the missile attack.
