England Lions-Pakistan Shaheens white-ball series shelved amid Middle East tensions

ABU DHABI: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has taken the decision to prematurely end the England Lions' tour of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region.

The board has also confirmed it is seeking alternative arrangements for the England Women's team, whose planned training camp in Abu Dhabi has been called off.

The Lions were engaged in a 50-over series against Pakistan Shaheens when the second of five scheduled matches was called off over the weekend.

With the situation in the wider region deteriorating, the ECB has now opted to cancel the remaining three fixtures entirely and is making arrangements to repatriate the players and support staff to the UK.

A primary concern for the board is the safety of its personnel. The recent closure of airspace in parts of West Asia has caused significant disruption to global travel, impacting commercial flight availability and creating uncertainty.

The England Women's team, who have been idle since their campaign at the 2025 ODI World Cup concluded in October, were due to travel to Abu Dhabi for a pre-tournament camp.

The camp was intended as a key part of their preparations for the T20 World Cup, which England will host in June and July. The ECB has now confirmed this plan has been abandoned.

In a statement released on Monday, the ECB cited the "instability across the Gulf" as the reason for the cancellation, prioritising the "safety and wellbeing of players, support staff and officials."

"The remainder of the England Men's Lions' tour has been cancelled, and we are working to get everyone home as soon as possible," the statement read.

"We have ruled out the possibility of England Women's T20 World Cup camp taking place in Abu Dhabi given the instability across the Gulf," it added.

The board confirmed that contingency planning is already underway.

"Over the weekend we started work on alternative options that will enable England Women to achieve the same outcomes, and we'll keep you informed as soon as we finalise a new plan."

The travel disruption is being felt across the cricketing world. Zimbabwe's departure from India following their involvement in the Men's T20 World Cup has been delayed.

The West Indies cricket board also confirmed on Monday that its players, who have finished their tournament commitments, are temporarily unable to travel as scheduled.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has stated it is monitoring the situation closely, though the final stages of the ongoing Men's T20 World Cup are not currently expected to be affected.