New Zealand Cricket refuses to share details of security threat in Pakistan
New Zealand Cricket, said that the general tenor of the threat was immediately shared with the PCB
Karachi: A day after abandoning the tour of Pakistan citing “security threats”, the New Zealand Cricket authorities have insisted that they will not share the specific details of the threat.
David White, the CEO of New Zealand Cricket, said that the general tenor of the threat was immediately shared with the PCB, reiterating that specific details could not, and will not, be disclosed – privately or publicly.
“What I can say is that we were advised this was a specific and credible threat against the team,” he said in a statement issued by NZC.
David White, according to the media release, said NZC remained comfortable with its initial decision to tour Pakistan, based on comprehensive assessments of the security situation, and the risk mitigation measures promised.
“Everything changed on Friday,” he said. “The advice changed, the threat level changed and, as a consequence, we took the only responsible course of action possible,” he added.
The New Zealand, minutes before the first ODI, announced that they are abandoning their tour of Pakistan following a New Zealand government security alert.
The Black Caps left Pakistan on Saturday and are currently in Dubai undergoing their mandatory isolation.
David White said that New Zealand team had been very much looking forward to the Pakistan series but were faced with no option but to abandon the tour after receiving, on Friday, advice from the New Zealand government of a specific, credible threat.
“This advice was supported by NZC’s security consultants – who were on the ground in Pakistan, and by other independent sources,” he added.
“We had several conversations with New Zealand government officials before making the decision and it was after informing the PCB of our position that we understand a telephone discussion was conducted between the respective Prime Ministers.
“Unfortunately, given the advice we’d received, there was no way we could stay in the country,” the statement read.
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