LONDON: English cricket’s top administrator has flown to Pakistan in a bid to repair relations damaged by the cancellation of October’s Twenty20 tour.

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.

Former Test batsman Raja said he felt “humiliated” when the ECB announced in September it was calling off the tour.

England, who last played in Pakistan 16 years ago, are due to play a Test series there in 2022.

Australia to tour Pakistan next year for first time since 1998

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.

However, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Christian Turner, confirmed the decision was taken by the ECB on the grounds of player welfare.

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.