NEWS
Follow UsNew Zealand Cricket (NZC) has stood by its decision to pull out of the Pakistan tour, despite receiving flak from all corners. The Blackcaps and Pakistan were to play three One-Day Internationals (ODI) in Rawalpindi, followed by five T20 Internationals (T20I) in Lahore, but a security threat saw them leave the country without playing a single match.
The New Zealand players and support staff arrived in Dubai from Islamabad and are undergoing a 24-hour self-isolation. Out of the 34 members, 24 will return to New Zealand, while the others will join the squad ahead of the T20 World Cup, which starts from October 17.
NZC chief executive David White while thanking the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for arranging for their safe passage said that it had become impossible for the New Zealand contingent after they were advised of specific threats against them.
“What I can say is that we were advised this was a specific and credible threat against the team," White said.
“We had several conversations with New Zealand government officials before making the decision and it was after informing the PCB of our position that we understand a telephone discussion was conducted between the respective Prime Ministers."
“Unfortunately, given the advice we’d received, there was no way we could stay in the country,” he further added.
White added that he remained comfortable with the decision to abandon the tour, based on the inputs he had received. “Everything changed on Friday (day of the 1st ODI),” he said.
“The advice changed, the threat level changed and, as a consequence, we took the only responsible course of action possible,” he further reiterated.