New Zealand refuse to tour Pakistan citing security reasons

Citing security concerns, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on Tuesday turned down a request from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to tour the South Asian country for a T20I series.

According to an ESPNCricinfo report, the Black Caps are scheduled to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to play Pakistan for a full tour that is likely to comprise three Tests, three One-Day Internationals (ODI) and as many Twenty20 Internationals (T20I) in October-November.

The fixtures are not announced yet. The PCB hoped to host the T20I leg of the tour.

"At the end of the day it came down to following the advisory and the security reports we had obtained," NZC chairman Greg Barclay told Newshub.

"There's no doubt they (Pakistan Cricket Board) are disappointed. I think they saw a tour by a country like New Zealand as being a great precedent for them to start to build an international programme back in Pakistan. So they're disappointed but they're good guys, we get on really well with Pakistan, and I think they're fully accepting of the decision that we've reached."

Since the 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus, Pakistan have made UAE their home.

In May 2015, Zimbabwe became the first team since the ghastly incident to go to Pakistan for a short limited-overs series, which was marred by a blast near the Gaddafi Stadium.

Recently, a depleted West Indies squad toured Pakistan for three T20Is in as many days.

--IANS

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