PCB turns down New Zealand Cricket Board's offer to reschedule series

"New Zealand wants to play cricket in Pakistan again."

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday turned down the New Zealand Cricket Board’s offer to reschedule Pak-New Zealand limited over series at a neutral venue.

According to reports, the New Zealand Cricket Board contacted PCB and offered to reschedule the abandoned series on a neutral venue.

The Kiwi cricket board said that New Zealand wants to play cricket in Pakistan again and was looking for an appropriate window to reschedule the series.

Earlier, the New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White on Sunday said that they went through security checks and were ensured of the high level of security that was to be provided for Pakistan tour but everything got changed on Friday.

In a statement, White said, “The advice changed, the threat level changed and, as a consequence, we took the only responsible course of action possible. I’m comfortable with the decision we made."

"For every tour we go on we go, whether it s Pakistan, England or wherever we go through a very thorough process covering security etc. and this was no exception. In fact, probably more in this case. We will assess every tour on its merits. The future tours programme is pretty tight but we ll have to look at it and work through that," he added.

"We appreciate this has been a terribly difficult time for the PCB and wish to pass on our sincere thanks to chief executive Wasim Khan and his team for their professionalism and care," White said in a statement.

It is to be mentioned here that New Zealand on Friday had called off a series of one day internationals against Pakistan over security concerns, New Zealand s cricket body and local board officials said, minutes after the first match was due to start.

"New Zealand Cricket informed us they had been alerted to some security alert and have unilaterally decided to postpone the series," the Pakistan Cricket board said in a statement.

"Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan Government made foolproof security arrangements for all visiting teams. We have assured the New Zealand Cricket of the same," the PCB statement read.

"The Pakistan Prime Minister spoke personally to the Prime Minister of New Zealand and informed her that we have one of the best intelligence systems in the world and that no security threat of any kind exists for the visiting team," the statement added.