"New Zealand Will Hear Us At ICC": PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja Threatens Kiwis For Pulling Out Of Pakistan Tour

Ramiz Raja, the newly-elected PCB chairman, didn’t mince any words while slamming the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) board for cancelling their Pakistan tour minutes before the first ODI was to start on Friday in Rawalpindi.

The Black Caps called off their tour, which comprised three ODIs and five T20Is, due to security concerns. The board said that they have that they had received news from their government about a security threat in Pakistan and hence decided against taking the field.

Taking to Twitter, Ramiz Raja, the former Pakistan captain who was appointed as the new chairman a few days ago, clarified that the visitors have unilaterally taken the step to abandon their tour and have not shared the security threat news with the PCB.

In a rebuking tone, Raja has threatened to complain to the ICC about this sudden, disappointing decision by the NZC.

“Crazy day it has been! Feel so sorry for the fans and our players. Walking out of the tour by taking a unilateral approach on a security threat is very frustrating. Especially when it’s not shared!! Which world is NZ living in??NZ will hear us at ICC,” Ramiz Raja tweeted.

Crazy day it has been! Feel so sorry for the fans and our players. Walking out of the tour by taking a unilateral approach on a security threat is very frustrating. Especially when it’s not shared!! Which world is NZ living in??NZ will hear us at ICC.

— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) September 17, 2021

Both the teams didn’t leave their hotel on the morning of the game, and spectators also weren’t allowed to enter the stadium. The preparations for departing the Kiwi players out of Pakistan have also begun.

England’s October tour of Pakistan in danger after New Zealand pull out

After the Kiwis pulled out of their tour in Pakistan, England’s men and women teams are also unlikely to go ahead with their tours. They are scheduled to play two T20Is in Rawalpindi on October 13 and 14, and the women are due to stay further for 3 ODIs.

“We’re aware of New Zealand’s decision to pull out of the Pakistan tour due to a security alert,” an ECB spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo.

“We are liaising with our security team who are on the ground in Pakistan to fully understand the situation. The ECB Board will then decide in the next 24-48 hours whether our planned tour should proceed.”

The report further revealed that both NZC and the ECB used the same security consultants, ESI Risk, on the security matters for their tours to Pakistan. England have not visited Pakistan since 2005. Australia and West Indies also have tours lined up to the Asian country later this year.

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