Pulling out of Pakistan ahead of ODI series 'a real shame', says NZ captain

WELLINGTON: New Zealand cricket team captain Kane Williamson said Monday the decision to pull out of its tour of Pakistan doesn’t have a “lasting impact” as Pakistanis take cricket very passionately.

While Kane Williamson was not part of the team that arrived in Pakistan for the series he was aware of what happened and concerned, he said.

“I don’t know the details of yesterday. It was a sudden call, but obviously, a real shame.”

The Kiwi captain said there is so much passion in Pakistan and that he dreaded that the “guys will be gutted” to not have started and played the whole series.

I will find out a bit more about it over the next few days, Williamson said, admitting that he does not know full details on the incident.

“Players’ safety is paramount and when you hear messages going through from the government, it is certainly above the players’ heads,” Williamson said.

New Zealand ‘unilaterally’ decides to postpone Pakistan series

Williamson shared his empathy towards the Pakistani players his team was set to be pitted against on the pitch. “They were obviously over there, ready to go to the ground. It is a sudden thing that happened.”

He said he certainly hoped there is no lasting impact from it because it is a special place for cricket to be and there have been a lot of strides forward to see cricket go back into Pakistan and play there safely.

It is pertinent to note that the New Zealand Cricket Board had earlier this week informed Pakistan Cricket Board and government that they were “alerted” to some security threat and decided to postpone the series scheduled to be played in Pakistan without consultation.

The media statement of Pakistan Cricket Board, following the postponement of the first of one day international (ODI), said that New Zealand Cricket unilaterally decided to postpone the series.