LONDON – England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has started reviewing its planned tour to Pakistan next month for two T20I matches after New Zealand unilaterally decided to abandon their tour to the South Asian country.
The English cricket board in a statement said, “We are liaising with our security team who are on the ground in Pakistan to fully understand the situation”.
“The ECB Board will then decide in the next 24-48hrs whether our planned tour should proceed,” read the official statement.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) abandoned Pakistan tour due to some security alert minutes before the first ODI match was set to start in Pindi Cricket Stadium.
“New Zealand Cricket informed us they had been alerted to some security alert and have unilaterally decided to postpone the series,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement.
The Black Caps are now preparing to leave the country while NZC has termed Pakistan as “wonderful host.
“Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan Government made foolproof security arrangements for all visiting teams. We have assured the New Zealand Cricket of the same. The Pakistan Prime Minister spoke personally to the Prime Minister of New Zealand and informed her that we have one of the best intelligence systems in the world and that no security threat of any kind exists for the visiting team,” read the official PCB statement.
The security officials with the New Zealand team have been satisfied with security arrangements made by the Pakistan throughout their stay here.
The unilateral decision has not only disappointed Pakistani team, officials but also the cricket fans.
PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja in a statement said, “Crazy day it has been! Feel so sorry for the fans and our players. Walking out of the tour by taking a unilateral approach on a security threat is very frustrating. Especially when it’s not shared!! Which world is NZ living in??NZ will hear us at ICC”.
Read more: https://pakobserver.net/new-zealand-pull-out-of-pakistan-tour-over-security-threats/
