KARACHI: New Zealand captain Tom Latham praised Pakistani officials and security personnel for their treatment of the visiting team, saying the series ended abruptly and disappointingly.
The New Zealand skipper stated in an interview after the Kiwis cancelled the Pakistan trip last week that the abrupt conclusion to the tour was “naturally disappointing,” saying that Pakistan cricket supporters were unhappy after waiting a long time for international cricket to restart in the country.
Latham and the rest of the squad were ecstatic to be back in Pakistan after an 18-year absence. He recollected how delighted and enthused Pakistan captain Babar Azam was a day before the series was called off.
“He was very happy that international cricket was resuming in Pakistan,” Latham said while narrating about Babar Azam’s excitement, “for us [New Zealand squad] to be there too,” he added.
Latham stated that when the series was canceled, the Pakistani officials were quite nice to the squad and kept them comfortable for the following 24 hours.
When the match was initially postponed last week on Friday, everyone was surprised, according to the Black Caps captain. He stated that the safety of the players was of the utmost importance to the New Zealand Cricket Association and others.
England cancelation of Pakistan tour
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) decided to postpone its tour to Pakistan on Monday, only days after New Zealand withdrew their squad at the last minute owing to “security” concerns.
The ECB expressed regret and said, “we understand that this decision will be a significant disappointment to the PCB”.
The ECB, on the other hand, has stated that the “mental and physical well-being” of its players and support staff is their top priority, which is even more critical given the times “we are currently living in.”
The men’s and women’s England teams were scheduled to play two Twenty20 matches in Rawalpindi on October 13 and 14. The women’s team will also play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in Pakistan on October 17, 19, and 21.
The ECB stated that it has a “longstanding commitment” to tour Pakistan as part of the Men’s Future Tours Programme in 2022, and that it has agreed to play two additional T20 World Cup warm-up games in October, as well as a short women’s tour with double headers alongside the men’s games.
