LAHORE: Former and current Pakistan players on Friday expressed disappointment over New Zealand’s decision to abandon its tour of the country over security fears – moments before the start of the first match in Rawalpindi.
Taking to Twitter, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam backed the country’s security agencies and said, “Extremely disappointed on the abrupt postponement of the series, which could have brought the smiles back for millions of Pakistan cricket fans.”
“I have full trust in the capabilities and credibility of our security agencies. They are our pride and always will be! Pakistan Zindabad!” the Pakistani skipper added.
Extremely disappointed on the abrupt postponement of the series, which could have brought the smiles back for millions of Pakistan Cricket Fans. I’ve full trust in the capabilities and credibility of our security agencies. They are our pride and always will be! Pakistan Zindabad!
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) September 17, 2021
Newly-appointed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja also expressed displeasure of the decision. “Crazy day it has been! Feel so sorry for the fans and our players,” he wrote on Twitter.
Crazy day it has been! Feel so sorry for the fans and our players. Walking out of the tour by taking a unilateral approach on a security threat is very frustrating. Especially when it’s not shared!! Which world is NZ living in??NZ will hear us at ICC.
— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) September 17, 2021
“Walking out of the tour by taking a unilateral approach on a security threat is very frustrating. Especially when it’s not shared!! Which world is NZ living in? NZ will hear us at ICC,” the PCB Chairman added.
Shaheen Shah Afridi also lavished praise on Pakistan’s security agencies, describing them as one of the best in the world. “Wish I had words to describe my disappointment,” the left-arm pacer wrote on Twitter.
Wish I had words to describe my disappointment. We not only have the best security force in the world but many foreign teams have successfully & peacefully completed their cricket tours in Pakistan. Can feel for the cricket lovers in Pakistan & around the world. #PakistanZindabad
— Shaheen Shah Afridi (@iShaheenAfridi) September 17, 2021
“We not only have the best security force in the world but many foreign teams have successfully and peacefully completed their cricket tours in Pakistan. Can feel for the cricket lovers in Pakistan & around the world,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar stated that this decision by New Zealand Cricket will greatly affect Pakistan cricket. “New Zealand cricket team has been in Islamabad for the past four to five days and they were staying under foolproof security,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“However, all of a sudden they took this decision after getting some intelligence reports. These security alerts are always there but you have to trust Pakistan as one of the safe heavens in the world. Our ISI and law enforcement agencies are working relentlessly to ensure peace,” Akhtar added.
“They should have trusted our intelligence and not embarrass us like this. It would have been better if you had decided against touring Pakistan altogether. Leaving the tour like this will give bad name to Pakistan,” he added.
Kiwis back out of tour over ‘security threats’
Earlier in the day, the New Zealand cricket team backed out of its tour of Pakistan over security concerns minutes before the first match was scheduled to start at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
In a statement, the Pakistan Cricket Board said that New Zealand Cricket (NZC) informed the board they had been alerted to “some security alert” and unilaterally decided to postpone the series.
The New Zealand contingent in Pakistan is now preparing to leave the country. The NZC said Pakistan had been “wonderful hosts” but added that player safety was “paramount”. Meanwhile, the PCB said Pakistan had “foolproof security arrangements for all visiting teams” and had “assured NZC of the same”.
The statement said that Prime Minister Imran Khan also personally spoke to Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, and informed her that Pakistan had “one of the best intelligence systems in the world and that no security threat of any kind” existed for the visiting team.
“The security officials with the New Zealand team have been satisfied with security arrangements made by the government throughout their stay,” the statement said, adding that the PCB was willing to continue the matches.
