'Money talks, nobody would say no to India': Usman Khawaja after NZ, England pull out of Pakistan tour

Australia batsman Usman Khawaja feels it is easier for other teams to pull out of tours against the likes of Pakistan and Bangladesh compared to India. Khawaja's comments come in the wake of New Zealand and England both withdrawing from their tour of Pakistan citing security reasons.

The New Zealand team was in Pakistan for a limited-overs tour ahead of the T20 World Cup but didn't take the field after a 'security alert'. Meanwhile, England confirmed earlier this week that they won't be touring Pakistan in October this year. The England Cricket Board (ECB) stated that players' mental health was the reason behind the board's decision to not go ahead with the tour.

Reacting to the decisions from New Zealand and England, Khawajahas asserted that it's easier for the teams to say no to Pakistan. The Australian batsman said none of these teams can say no to India as BCCI is the richest cricket boardin the world and money matters.

"I feel it's very easy for players and organisations to say no to Pakistan, because it's Pakistan. I think the same thing would apply too, if it were Bangladesh. But nobody would say no to India, if they're in the same situation," Khawaja was quoted as saying by The West Australian.

"Money talks, we all know that, and that's probably a big part of it. They keep proving time and time again through their tournaments that they're a safe place to play cricket. I think there's no reason why we shouldn't go back," Khawaja added.

Khawaja, who was born in Pakistan, had emigrated to Sydney with his family as a five-year-old and went on to represent the Australian national team across formats. He has been part of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the last few seasons and feels there is no reason why teams should not travel to Pakistan for cricket.

"There's a lot of security. Heavy, heavy security. I've heard nothing but reports about people feeling safe. Even talking to the guys during the PSL about what it's like ... they would say the same thing to me 'like 10 years ago, maybe not, but now 100 per cent'," said the left-hander, who has played 44 Tests and 40 ODIs for Australia.