Tom Latham thanks ‘brilliant’ Pakistani authorities for ensuring safety of NZ team

New Zealand skipper Tom Latham expressed his disappointment at the abandoned tour of Pakistan

By Web Desk
September 21, 2021
New Zealand skipper Tom Latham expressed his disappointment at the abandoned tour of Pakistan

New Zealand cricketer Tom Latham addressed the debacle of the team abandoning their Pakistan tour last minutes by praising Pakistani authorities for the security they were provided.

The skipper of the second-string team that was sent to Pakistan, expressed his disappointment at the abandoned tour.

"It was a hectic 24 hours, after the decision was made,” Latham was quoted saying by NewsHub.

"Naturally, it's very disappointing for them,” he said about the backwards step for Pakistan after the pull-out.

"To have cricket back in their country was something they were very proud of,” he said.

"I remember doing the captain's run with Babar [Azam] the day before, and just seeing how happy he was to have international cricket and have us there. He was obviously very excited,” he shared.

"I guess it was a historic moment, as well, for New Zealand cricket to be back there, 18 years since they were last there. To be part of that was going to be something special, but obviously things changed,” he went on to say.

"While we were there after the decision, the Pakistan authorities were brilliant. They kept us safe and we were safe at the hotel. We certainly thank them,” he added. 

The cancellation is a massive setback for Pakistan, which has been trying to revive tours by foreign sides after home internationals were suspended in the aftermath of a 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lankan team.

New Zealand have refused to give details of the security threat that forced them to cancel their tour on Friday just as the first one-day international was due to begin in Rawalpindi.

The decision infuriated the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and sparked calls for a boycott of the New Zealand team.

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