“Was this a vacation?” - Furious Pakistan fans slam New Zealand after tour cancellation over security concerns

New Zealand have abandoned the tour of Pakistan. Pic: BlackCaps. (Inset) Twitter reaction of a Pakistan fan.
New Zealand have abandoned the tour of Pakistan. Pic: BlackCaps. (Inset) Twitter reaction of a Pakistan fan.

The New Zealand cricket have called off their white-ball tour of Pakistan, citing security concerns. The Kiwis were supposed to play three ODIs and five T20Is as part of their tour, starting with the first ODI in Rawalpindi on Friday.

However, in an expected turn of events, the toss for the match was delayed after neither team left their hotel for the ground. The spectators were also not allowed to enter the stadium.

After a period of uncertainty, New Zealand cricket issued a statement and said that they were abandoning the tour due to security concerns.

"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,” NZC’s official statement read.

New Zealand’s decision to abandon the tour enraged Pakistani cricket fans, who took to Twitter to vent their ire. Here are some reactions to the Kiwis pulling out of the series in Pakistan.

New Zealand’s decision to cancel series a ‘unilateral’ one: PCB

Defending New Zealand’s decision to pull out of the Pakistan tour, NZC chief executive David White said that player safety remains paramount.

"I understand this will be a blow for the PCB, who have been wonderful hosts, but player safety is paramount and we believe this is the only responsible option," NZC chief executive David White said in a statement.

However, the PCB is not too pleased with Kiwis’ decision to abandon the tour. Responding to NZC’s decision, the Pakistan board pointed out that they had assured the New Zealand cricket board of foolproof security arrangements.

"PCB and Govt of Pakistan made foolproof security arrangements for all visiting teams. 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 we have one of the best Intelligence systems in the world and that no security threat of any kind exists for the visting team. The security officials with the NZ team have been satisfied with security arrangements made by the Govt of Pakistan throughout their stay here," the PCB statement read.

New Zealand’s decision to cancel the tour raises doubts about Pakistan's scheduled home season. England's men's and women's teams are due to visit Pakistan next month. However, it must be noted that ECB use the same security consultants as NZC.

Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️

Quick Links

Edited by Parimal