NEWS
Follow UsThe political crisis in neighboring Afghanistan has thrown New Zealand's upcoming tour of Pakistan in doubt as New Zealand Cricket (NZC) nervously awaits the nod from their security advisor.
The Board had earlier in the month agreed to play three ODIs and five T20Is from September 11 to October 3 in Pakistan.
According to a report by Cricbuzz, New Zealand Cricket Players' Association chief Health Mills said that the tour might be reconsidered if security consultant and advisor Reg Dickason deems the situation in Pakistan to be unsafe.
"Reg will have the final word," Mills told Cricbuzz on Saturday. "He is our security expert appointed by the New Zealand Cricket (NZC). So he will do the pre-tour check. If he sees at any point in time that he is not comfortable or does not think the team will be safe, the tour will be reconsidered. The important thing to consider will be if the situation is for the team to come home. We are not the security experts, so he will take the decision. He will stay with the team throughout the tour."
The Black Caps last toured Pakistan in 2003 and showed interest this year following the successful tours for Sri Lanka and South Africa.
They are set for a long tour of Asia ahead of the T20 World Cup which will begin with the five-match T20I series against Bangladesh next month. Mills revealed that some of the players are apprehensive about the Pakistan tour, which is set to commence one week after the final T20I against Bangladesh on September 10.
"Some of the guys have asked questions about the tour. We are very comfortable for the fact that Reg is heading to Pakistan. We are very confident that he will do a thorough job on pre-tour check. I anticipate that the tour will go ahead as planned, at this stage... For us, it is the first time to Pakistan in 18 years, since 2003. All of them are hopping on to the plane on Monday (to leave for Bangladesh). And hopefully once the pre-tour check is completed, they will be going to Pakistan in three weeks' time," he said.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board remains confident that the series will go ahead as planned.