LAHORE – Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja urged Pakistan team players to put their frustration and anger to good use by channeling it into their performance after New Zealand team abandoned their tour of Pakistan unilaterally.
The new PCB chief released video message in which he tried to boost up the morale of the cricket team and spirit of the fans.
He said that improving the performance further is the only way to handle the situation, adding that other teams will desire to play in Pakistan when “we will emerge as world-class team”.
Raja said that the New Zealand’s sudden decision had put pressure on Pakistan’s efforts to bring cricket home, adding: “We will take every possible stem to bring good news to you”.
PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja has a message for Pakistan cricket fans pic.twitter.com/cwEfcQXxus
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 18, 2021
Addressing the cricket fans, he said: “We have a lot of resilience to face such unfortunate situation”. He urged them to continue supporting the Pakistan team.
The 33-member New Zealand cricket team has arrived at the Islamabad airport and set to leave for Dubai via a chartered flight, according to a statement by Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed.
On Friday, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) pulled out of the Pakistan tour citing security threats.
The announcement comes minutes before the start of the first ODI match between Pakistan and the Black Caps in Rawalpindi.
This tour, in which New Zealand was to play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and five Twenty-20 matches, was scheduled to be held from 17 September to 3 October.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board in a statement said that Pakistan made foolproof security arrangements for all visiting teams.
“We have assured the New Zealand Cricket of the same. 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,” it said.
New Zealand’s decision has disappointed the cricket fans, who have thronged to Twitter to share their reactions.
