In canceling the tour last week, the New Zealand team did not specify the exact nature of the security threat. But the country’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, said New Zealand Cricket “made the right decision.”
“You will understand why we are not in a position to give further information as to the nature of the intelligence, other than to say, it was a direct threat, and it was a credible threat,” Ms. Ardern was quoted as saying Sunday.
Officials in Pakistan said they had not received a threat and asked their New Zealand counterparts for more information. A former spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, or T.T.P., a banned terrorist group, said in a Facebook post before the scheduled New Zealand game that the team may have been targeted by a different group.
“As far as I know a global jihadi organization (IS) is looking for a big target in Pakistan,” said Ehsanullah Ehsan, citing the Islamic State terrorist group. It was not clear whether Mr. Ehsan had knowledge of any planned attack, and his Facebook account was deleted shortly after.
The tour cancellations have been met with widespread anger and disappointment in Pakistan. “We were all very excited and looking forward to watch the match in the stadium,” said Nawab Ahmed Alam, 41, who runs a cricket club in Islamabad, adding that he had bought a ticket to watch the first match between Pakistan and New Zealand. “But now with the tours called off, cricket fans feel that Pakistan has been taken back 10 years.”
The cancellations are especially frustrating to locals because teams from other countries, like Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and South Africa, had begun visiting in 2015, raising hopes that things could return to normal.
“It’s very unfortunate because the spectators and fans want to see their cricket heroes play in front of them, on the home soil against foreign teams,” Mr. Alam said. “The thrill and enjoyment has been denied to the fans.”
24World Media does not take any responsibility of the information you see on this page. The content this page contains is from independent third-party content provider. If you have any concerns regarding the content, please free to write us here: contact@24worldmedia.com
Bill Harris: Omega-3 – A Simple Way to Lower Your Risk of Disease
Chasing a hockey dream together: How Luke and Sophia Kunin make the first NHL-PWHL marriage work
Why Constipation Is on the Rise
‘To the Future’: Saudi Arabia Spends Big to Become an A.I. Superpower
Antidepressants: What to Know About Uses and Side Effects
Is Eating Eggshells Beneficial?
How hockey helped make J.J. McCarthy one of NFL Draft’s most intriguing prospects
Aspartame Classified as 'Possibly Carcinogenic'
Why You Want More Carbon Dioxide
Mark Clattenburg: The celebrity referee turned PGMOL agitator… via Gladiators
Everton Is Back on Market as Deal With 777 Partners Falters