RIZWAN ALIAP Sports Writer

Rawalpindi (AP), Pakistan — New Zealand will take a cricket tour of Pakistan on Friday just before the upcoming Blackcaps match in Pakistan for the first time in 18 years due to security concerns that wondered the host. I canceled it.

New Zealand Cricket said it had received a security warning from the government and decided to cancel the tour shortly before the start of the 1-day international series in Rawalpindi. Both teams stayed at the hotel.

“The Pakistan Cricket Commission and the Government of Pakistan have made absolute security arrangements for all visiting teams. We have assured the same for cricket in New Zealand.”

New Zealand was to play three ODIs at Rawalpindi and five Twenty20 at Lahore. Both the city and security arrangements were cleared by the NZC security team last month.

NZC CEO David White said the advice he received made it impossible to continue the tour, and he was supported by the New Zealand Cricketers Association.

“I understand this will be a blow to the great host PCB, but I believe that player safety is a top priority and this is the only responsible option,” White said.

The PCB said it did its best to convince Kiwi, but said “Pakistan and cricket enthusiasts around the world will be disappointed with the last (New Zealand) withdrawal.”

Pakistani captain Babar Azam expressed disappointment with the cancellation, and former Pakistani high-speed bowler Shoaib Akhtar tweeted that “New Zealand killed Pakistani cricket.”

The England men’s and women’s team are scheduled for a short two-game T20 series in Pakistan next month, and the England and Wales Cricket Commission have said they will make a final call on this weekend’s tour.

Men in England have not played international in Pakistan since 2005 during their first visit to women.

“We are aware of New Zealand’s decision to withdraw from the Pakistan tour due to security warnings,” the ECB said. “We are in contact with our security team in Pakistan to fully understand the situation. After that, the ECB Board will decide whether to continue the scheduled tour 24-48. Will be decided in time. “

Pakistan has been an exclusion zone for international cricket teams for 10 years after terrorists attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009. The ambush killed seven people and injured several Sri Lankan cricketers, including one of New Zealand’s tour managers, Tiran Samaraweera. As a batting coach.

This is the first example a team must abandon while in Pakistan since the international team resumed touring Pakistan in 2019.

Heath Mills, Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Cricket Players Association, said: “They are safe and everyone is acting in their best interests.”

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