New Zealand visit to Pakistan:
Uncertainty surrounds New Zealand’s impending tour of Pakistan, the first in 18 years, as players expressed reservations over the Taliban’s control of Afghanistan.
According to Stuff, the events in Afghanistan bolstered an associated insurgent group, the Pakistani Taliban, as reported by the Washington Post, and heightened security worries in Pakistan.
“We’re very comfortable with the process we’ve got, but notwithstanding that, with events in Afghanistan in the last few days, it’s very sad what’s happening in that country, and people are obviously questioning our security check processes,” Heath Mills, the NZ Cricket Players Association’s boss, said.
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“Players are included, which is entirely understandable. We simply need to assure them of the procedure, follow it, and make a decision,” he continued.
According to the report, New Zealand Cricket’s independent security consultant Reg Dickason will visit Pakistan next week for a thorough assessment of the situation.
“That will take him [Dickason] four or five days, and then he’ll report back and recommend whether the tour goes ahead or not for whatever reason… if there are any changes to whatever the plan might be,” Mills said.
New Zealand will play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) at Rawalpindi on September 17, 19, and 21. They will also play five Twenty20 Internationals in Lahore on September 25, 26, and 29, as well as October 1 and 3.
