Tag: New Zealand Cricket Board

  • New Zealand to tour Pakistan twice in 2022-23

    New Zealand to tour Pakistan twice in 2022-23

    After returning from Pakistan just before the first match due to ‘security concerns’, New Zealand is set to tour Pakistan twice next season, the two boards confirmed on Monday.

    The two teams will first face each other between December 2022 and January 2023 for two Tests, which will be part of the World Test Championship, and three ODIs, part of the World Cup Super League, before New Zealand return to Pakistan in April 2023 for five ODIs and five T20Is.

    The first visit will be a part of the Future Tours Programme, while the second was agreed to make up for the matches lost when New Zealand called off their limited-overs tour of Pakistan in September this year minutes before the scheduled start of the first ODI, citing security concerns. The limited-overs tour in April 2023 will have two additional ODIs being played, along with those scheduled in the 2021 series.

    “It’s good to be going back,” NZC chief executive David White said in a statement. “Our respective chairmen, Ramiz Raja and Martin Snedden, had very fruitful and constructive discussions while in Dubai, further strengthening the bond between the two organisations.”

    After being especially critical of the NZC’s decision when they abandoned the tour this year, Ramiz said that the board was “pleased with the outcomes of our discussions and negotiations”. “This reflects the strong, cordial and historic relations the two boards have, and reconfirms Pakistan’s status as an important member of the cricket fraternity,” he said.

    Meanwhile, PCB also shared the list of International events Pakistan is going to host in future.

  • Memes: Pak reacts to India’s defeat

    Memes: Pak reacts to India’s defeat

    New Zealand defeated India by 8 wickets on Sunday, making it quite difficult for the men in blue to reach the semi-finals in the T20 World Cup.

    India gave New Zealand a target of 111 runs. The Kiwis easily chased the target in the 14th over.

    Despite India having world-class batters, Black Caps dismissed seven Indians during the first innings of the match. Indian captain Virat Kohli could only score nine. Currently, India is at number 5 in Group B of the T20 World Cup 2021.

    Since last night, Pakistani social media is filled with memes and reactions.

  • Pakistan cricket fights back…hard

    Pakistanis are on a high these days after Pakistan cricket team’s three consecutive wins at the T20 World Cup. Pakistan is on the top in their group with three out of three wins against India, New Zealand and Afghanistan. We still have to play the remaining two matches against Namibia and Scotland next week (November 2 and 7) before the semi-finals.

    Pakistan cricket team broke its jinx by beating India for the first time in a World Cup match. And what a win it was! We restricted the India side to just 151 runs and we chased the score without losing a single wicket. The second match against New Zealand was even more special as this had come after the team pulled out of its tour to Pakistan last month.

    In September, cricket fans across Pakistan were heartbroken after New Zealand’s disappointing decision to abandon the Pakistan series over “security threats” just minutes before the first One-Day International (ODI) match was about to begin in Rawalpindi. Following New Zealand’s unilateral decision, England also decided to cancel their men’s and women’s teams’ tour to Pakistan in October. New Zealand was to play in Pakistan after almost 18 years while England’s men have not played an international match in Pakistan since 2005 and their women’s team were to visit the country for the first time.

    It was not just the cricket fans who were disappointed; apart from the huge financial loss to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) because of these cancellations, it must have affected the Pakistan cricket team as well. After the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in 2009, Pakistan has had to play their ‘home series’ away from home for many years. Cricket came back to Pakistan due to the efforts of Najam Sethi and others at the PCB.

    We Pakistanis criticise our team a lot when they don’t perform well but we need to understand what our players have been through for more than a decade now. They have been away from their families for months on end due to home series in the UAE; they have had to rebuild the team after the 2010 spot-fixing scandal; Pakistanis are kept out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to political reasons; and they have had to face discrimination in cricket because of India’s influence at the International Cricket Council (ICC) – Pakistan does not get enough bilateral series and enough international matches to compete with other teams. Under such difficult circumstances, our team has won the ICC Champions Trophy, ruled the Test rankings, made the Pakistan Super League (PSL) a huge international success and much more. We are proud of our Men in Green. They have cheered us up in the most depressing of times. Pakistan Zindabad.

  • NZ coach urges players to block out noise around T20 World Cup opener against Pak

    NZ coach urges players to block out noise around T20 World Cup opener against Pak

    New Zealand cricket team coach Gary Stead urged his players to block out the noise around the upcoming Twenty20 (T20) World Cup opener against Pakistan.

    According to Stuff, Stead said, “Certainly, being that it’s Pakistan, people will hype that up, but for us, it’s no different to any other match we play against them.”

    The Kiwis will begin their World T20 campaign against Pakistan on October 26 at Sharjah after cancelling the tour of Pakistan minutes before the first One-Day International (ODI), citing a ‘security threat’.

    Stead admitted that the decision to abandon the tour was disappointing for Pakistan but explained that it was not the team’s decision to make.

    “Sometimes you don’t get made aware of everything, either. It’s really hard for me to comment on,” he said.

    Following New Zealand’s abrupt decision, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also called off their Pakistan tour.

  • New Zealand cricket chief open to rescheduling of abandoned Pakistan series

    New Zealand cricket chief open to rescheduling of abandoned Pakistan series

    New Zealand Cricket (NZC) Chief Executive David White on Monday expressed willingness to discuss the rescheduling of the Pakistan series the Black Caps abandoned last week, but said talks of touring the country again were premature considering the team’s schedule was already tight.

    The Black Caps devastated Pakistan’s cricket fraternity on September 17 after unilaterally quitting their visit minutes before the first ODI was to be played citing “security concerns”.

    In a new report, New Zealand media website Stuff quoted White, saying: “We’ve got a very close working relationship with Pakistan Cricket. We’d like to think that over the next few days, weeks and months that we’ll work through this to ensure that we play the content that we’ve missed out on and we continue our close working relationship.”

    “As we know they’re a very passionate cricketing nation and they’re obviously disappointed. We understand their disappointment,” he added.

    According to the report, the NZC chief was hopeful the matches would be rescheduled but was not sure about when as the Future Tours Programme was already “pretty tight”.

    Regarding compensating the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for lost revenue, White said the issue would be discussed in due course. He hoped that the decision to abandon the tour would not be held against NZC when the time came for Pakistan to tour New Zealand.

    He also said that it was too soon to comment on the prospect of the Black Caps touring Pakistan again anytime soon.

    “I think what’s important to point out is that for every tour we go on, whether it’s Pakistan or England or anywhere, that we go through a very thorough process covering security, etc. This was no exception. In fact, it was probably more in this case.”

    “I can’t answer that question at the moment, it’s too early. But we’ll assess every tour on its merits,” he said.

    On Friday, the New Zealand team had unilaterally postponed the series with Pakistan minutes before the first match was scheduled to start at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium — a move that had shocked fans and officials.

    According to the PCB, Pakistan had “foolproof security arrangements for all visiting teams” and had “assured NZC of the same”.

  • PCB to take tough stance against New Zealand

    PCB to take tough stance against New Zealand

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly decided to take a tough stance against the New Zealand Cricket Team (NZC) at the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting, according to Geo News’ sources.

    The board has decided to contact influential players and commentators from around the world and seek their support in this matter.

    The ICC board meeting will be held during the upcoming T20 World Cup. The World Cup is scheduled to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman from October 17 to November 14.

    Prior to this Prime Minister, Imran Khan spoke personally to the Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and informed her that Pakistan has one of the best intelligence systems in the world and that no security threat of any kind exists for the visiting team, PCB has confirmed.

    Earlier, Chairman PCB Ramiz Raja had said that New Zealand will hear Pakistan at the ICC meeting. Terming the abrupt decision as a “crazy day”, the chairman added that he felt sorry for fans and the players.

    Last week, PCB, in its press release, revealed that New Zealand Cricket authorities unilaterally called off the ODI and T20 series without taking them into confidence and had not shared any details about the threats with the board or Pakistan’s security agencies.

  • ‘NZ just killed Pakistan cricket’: Pak cricketers react after tour cancellation

    ‘NZ just killed Pakistan cricket’: Pak cricketers react after tour cancellation

    Pakistani cricketers, including Babar Azam, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar and others have expressed their disappointment after the New Zealand cricket board abandoned Pakistan series at the last minute.

    Taking to Twitter, Babar wrote: “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!”

    While Shoaib Akhtar wrote: “NZ just killed Pakistan cricket.”

    “On a HOAX threat you have called-off the tour despite all assurances! @BalackCaps do you understand the IMPACT of your decision,” questioned Afridi.

    The series has been postponed after New Zealand expressed security threats. Despite Prime Minister Imran Khan talking to New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and ensuring her that the levels of securities are high, the series was called off.

  • ‘NZ will hear us at ICC’: Ramiz Raja enraged after series abandonment

    ‘NZ will hear us at ICC’: Ramiz Raja enraged after series abandonment

    The newly appointed Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja has lashed out at New Zealand cricket board after they abandoned the series at the last minute. While transnational players, including Grant Eliot and Daren Sammy, also expressed their disappointment on the news.

    Taking to Twitter, PCB Chairman wrote: “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.”

    Meanwhile, transnational cricketer including Daren Sammy, Michael Vaughan, Angelo Perera, Grant Elliot and Sherfane Rutherford also shared their views on the cancellation of the series.

    https://twitter.com/SRutherford_50/status/1438807718727462917?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1438807718727462917%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthecurrent.pk%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D131302action%3Dedit
    https://twitter.com/angiperera/status/1438827329057292288?s=20

    The black Caps were set to play three ODIs and five T20Is in Pindi and Lahore respectively.

    New Zealand’s cricket board said arrangements were being made for the team’s departure back home, citing an escalation in threat levels and the advice of security advisors.

  • ‘We totally support the decision’: NZ PM Jacinda Ardern on Pakistan tour abandonment

    ‘We totally support the decision’: NZ PM Jacinda Ardern on Pakistan tour abandonment

    New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday backed her cricket board’s decision to call off the entire tour of Pakistan after a security alert just minutes before the first ODI in Rawalpindi, as the safety of the players was paramount.

    New Zealand Cricket said it received a security alert from its government and made the decision to cancel the tour just moments before the scheduled start of the One-Day International (ODI) series.

    This was going to be New Zealand’s first international cricket series in Pakistan in 18 years but sadly, it had to be called off after the visiting side refused to come to the stadium and stayed put inside their hotel rooms citing security concerns.

    Pakistan were scheduled to host New Zealand for a series of 3 ODIs and 5 T20 internationals in Rawalpindi and Lahore from September 17 to October 3.

    “When I spoke with the Prime Minister of Pakistan I conveyed our thanks for taking care of the New Zealand Cricket team. I know how disappointing it will be for everyone that the game hasn’t gone ahead, but we totally support the decision that’s been made. Player safety has to be paramount,” Ardern said in a statement sent to Reuters.

    New Zealand’s cricket board said arrangements were being made for the team’s departure back home, citing an escalation in threat levels and the advice of security advisors.

  • New Zealand cancels Pak series due to ‘security concerns’ despite PM Khan’s call to NZ PM

    New Zealand cancels Pak series due to ‘security concerns’ despite PM Khan’s call to NZ PM

    New Zealand’s whole tour of Pakistan has been abandoned due to security concerns.

    “Earlier today, New Zealand Cricket informed us they had been alerted to some security alert and have unilaterally decided to postpone the series,” said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a statement.

    “Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan Government made foolproof security arrangements for all visiting teams. We have assured the New Zealand Cricket of the same. The Pakistan 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 visiting team,” said the statement.

    “The security officials with the New Zealand team have been satisfied with security arrangements made by the Pakistan Government throughout their stay here,” it added.

    The statement concluded, “PCB is willing to continue the scheduled matches. However, cricket lovers in Pakistan and around the world will be disappointed by this last minute withdrawal.”

    The Black Caps reached Pakistan on September 11 and were set to play three ODIs and five T20Is. Spectators outside the stadium were set to enter the when the first ODI between the teams was called off just a few minutes before the toss.

    Meanwhile, a sports journalist Elliot Smith has shared a statement that arrangements for the departure of NZ team are now being made.

    https://twitter.com/elliottnz/status/1438797782723088386?s=20