Rawalpindi: Shuaib Akhtar protested against New Zealand’s dramatic withdrawal from the series against Pakistan just minutes before the toss. New Zealand said the withdrawal was due to security concerns.
Akhtar tweeted:
New Zealand Some things to keep in mind
-Nine Pakistanis killed in Christchurch terror attack -Yet Pakistan still stands strong with New Zealand
-Covid Pakistan had toured New Zealand despite the dire situation. It did not take into account the harsh behavior of the New Zealand authorities.
In other tweets, Akhtar said that New Zealand had killed Pakistan cricket and that we had prepared safe matches for countries like South Africa, Bangladesh, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
New Zealand Cricket said in a statement that the team would not stay in Pakistan for the series. New Zealand will play three ODIs and five T20Is in Pakistan.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that it will withdraw from the match following a security alert from the New Zealand government. The cricket board has made arrangements for the return of the team. At the same time, Pakistan has made it clear that it is ready to go ahead with the tournament. Pakistan said it would ensure uninterrupted security for the visiting teams.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly informed New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinta Arden that all security arrangements have been made for the New Zealand team. He appealed to the New Zealand Prime Minister not to withdraw from the series. Pakistan has also said that the security team with the New Zealand cricket team has expressed satisfaction with the preparations. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement that the last – minute withdrawal from the tournament was a “disappointment” for cricket fans.
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