New Zealand cricket team on Friday called off its limited-overs tour of Pakistan minutes before the first ODI, citing security concerns.
The Blackcaps were scheduled to play three ODIs and five T20Is from Sept. 17 till Oct. 03. None of the teams left its hotel for the first ODI this morning. The spectators were also not allowed to enter the Rawalpindi Stadium.
This led to uncertainty and rumors as details of the delay were not shared by the hosts as well as the visiting team. The New Zealand Cricket issued a statement minutes before the match was set to start, announcing the cancellation of the tour due to security reasons.
“Following an escalation in the New Zealand Government threat levels for Pakistan, and advice from NZC security advisors on the ground, it has been decided the Blackcaps will not continue with the tour,” a New Zealand cricket statement said.
The New Zealand contingent in Pakistan is now preparing to leave the country.
NZC chief executive David White said they understand it will be a blow for Pakistan Cricket Board but players’ safety is their priority.
The PCB responded with a statement indicating their unhappiness at a “unilateral” decision.
“We have assured the New Zealand cricket board of the same. The Prime Minister spoke personally to the Prime Minister of New Zealand and informed her that no security threat of any kind exists for the visiting team,” said PCB.
“The security officials with the NZ team have been satisfied with security arrangements made by the Govt of Pakistan throughout their stay here,” it added.
The New Zealand cricket team had landed in Islamabad on Sept. 11 and had since held three training sessions before today’s abandoned first ODI. Both the teams were staying in a hotel just 15 minutes away drive away and VIP security protocols were in place.
This was Blackcaps’ first tour to Pakistan in 18 years. The last time the two sides had played in Pakistan was an ODI series in 2003. That series was a continuation of the 2002 tour by New Zealand which was cancelled after a blast at the hotel in Karachi where the squad was staying.
[…] cricket fans and cricket fraternity were shocked and disappointed as New Zealand unilaterally pulled out of the Pakistan tour just before the start of the first ODI in Rawalpindi on Friday citing […]