The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has now cancelled the remainder of the England Lions tour in the UAE and ruled out England Women’s T20 World Cup training camp in Abu Dhabi, due to security concerns linked to instability across the Gulf, which continue to disrupt travel plans and scheduling.
The development marks an escalation from the ECB’s earlier precautionary step, when it had first cancelled the second 50-over game of the Lions vs the Pakistan Shaheens and delayed the women’s camp departure. The latest update confirms that both plans have now been abandoned in their original form, with the board focusing on player safety and revised preparations.
ECB confirms Lions return plans, women’s camp alternative in works
In the official statement shared by the ECB, the board said, “The remainder of the England Men’s Lions tour has been cancelled, and we are working to get everyone home as soon as possible. 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. 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 Lions had been in the UAE for a white-ball series against Pakistan Shaheens. They had already played the T20 leg and had started the 50-over matches before the security situation forced changes to the tour schedule. The remaining matches on the schedule have now been completely shelved.
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For England Women, the Abu Dhabi camp was part of preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup, and the ECB is now looking to replicate those training sessions elsewhere. The board has not yet announced the new venues or the revised camp dates.
The ECB’s earlier communication had also stressed that the England Men’s senior side will travel to Mumbai for the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final as planned, underlining that the decisions were being taken separately based on logistics, timing and security assessments.
The situation remains one of the biggest cricket-related disruptions caused by the ongoing regional instability, with boards and organisers continuing to closely monitor travel and airspace conditions.
