KECH:
The New Zealand cricket team has pulled out of the ODI series in Pakistan due to security reasons — a unilateral decision that was announced minutes before the first match was scheduled to start at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. David White, Chief Executive of New Zealand Cricket, said, “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.”
The entire Pakistani nation was initially in shock of what had happened since fans were very excited to see the Kiwis playing in Pakistan for the first time in 18 years. The much-anticipated series has ended abruptly with Pakistan losing millions of rupees invested in order to ensure a successful event. The incident has without a doubt hurt the sentiments of Pakistani fans and disappointed cricketers around the world. One cannot outright blame the New Zealand cricket team for taking the precautions necessary. However, security officials need to take a step back, assess what just happened, and investigate where the threat actually came from, even if this means pushing the New Zealand government to give us information regarding the tip they received.
We must understand that the incident will dent efforts for cricket revival in the country. Now the PCB needs to push this issue at the ICC and take initiative in order to make sure that international cricket is secure in Pakistan for any country.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 20th, 2021.
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