RAWALPINDI: A groundstaff member takes away the stumps at the Pindi Cricket Stadium after New Zealand called off the Pakistan tour hours before the first One-day International here on Friday.—Tanveer Shahzad/White Star
RAWALPINDI: It was like an explosion, with such a massive impact that it has put Pakistan's cricket future in danger.
New Zealand's much-anticipated tour to Pakistan came to an abrupt end on Friday, just 25 minutes before the first of three One-Day Internationals at the Pindi Cricket Stadium was set to begin at 2:30pm. The reason is that the New Zealand government has voiced security worries. The cancellation of the tour, which included a five-match Twenty20 International series in Lahore and was the first by the Black Caps to this country in nearly 18 years, has raised many questions and cast serious doubts on England's men's team's scheduled visit to Rawalpindi for two Twenty20 Internationals in October, contrary to all expectations and against the run of play.
Ramiz Raja, the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and a former Pakistan captain, announced on Twitter that the PCB will address the International Cricket Council (ICC) about what happened on a "crazy day."
The electronic media aired speculation-filled reports of two unnamed New Zealand players contracting Covid-19 overnight as the reason for no action while both teams and match officials stayed put at their hotel in the safe environment bio-secure bubble until the PCB issued an official version of the exact situation.
The PCB claimed in a news release that “the New Zealand cricket board told us that they have been notified to some security alert and have unilaterally decided to postpone the series.” “The Pakistan Cricket Board and the Pakistani government established foolproof security measures for all visiting teams. The New Zealand cricket board has been informed of this.
“The Prime Minister [Imran Khan] spoke personally with the Prime Minister of New Zealand [Jacinda Ardern] and assured her that we have one of the strongest intelligence systems in the world and that the visiting team faces no security threats of any sort.“Throughout their time here, the security officials with the New Zealand team have been happy with the security measures established by the government. While the PCB was eager to keep the planned matches going, cricket fans in Pakistan and around the world would be upset by this last-minute cancellation,” the board added.
As a result, the stage was set for a smooth-flowing series a long time ago. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) engaged a renowned firm of security experts — which included Reg Dickason, who had a regular to Pakistan on behalf of several cricket boards for pre-tour checks — who gave the clearance after a thorough recce of all venues in Lahore and the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad — who gave the clearance after a thorough recce of all venues in Lahore and the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
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