{"id":71994,"date":"2021-09-18T15:02:23","date_gmt":"2021-09-18T15:02:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=71994"},"modified":"2021-09-18T15:02:23","modified_gmt":"2021-09-18T15:02:23","slug":"pakistan-battling-isolation-as-cricket-host-after-new-zealand-pull-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=71994","title":{"rendered":"Pakistan battling isolation as cricket host after New Zealand pull out"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Sports Desk:<\/strong> Pakistan cricket began confronting its worst fear Saturday, with the national side staring at another era of isolation from hosting international matches after New Zealand abandoned its tour, citing a security threat.<\/p>\n

The All Blacks called off their first Pakistan series in 18 years with Wellington's backing on Friday just before the first one-day international was due to start in Rawalpindi.<\/p>\n

The decision has left cricket-crazy Pakistan reeling, with the nation still recovering from the 2009 militant attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore that wounded six players.<\/p>\n

Already struggling to convince foreign teams to tour, Pakistan were forced to play home matches at neutral venues — primarily in the UAE — following the assault.<\/p>\n

The decision left a generation of cricket fans growing up having never attended a live game.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Imran Khan, a former international cricketing hero, and the Pakistan Cricket Board will now have to work overtime to avoid another period of exile.<\/p>\n

“With the administration they now have in place at the PCB and how closely linked to the PM it is, there'll be a real push to ensure they have to play as little as possible in a neutral venue,” cricket writer Osman Samiuddin told AFP.<\/p>\n

Their first task will be to convince England, who decide Sunday whether to send their men's and women's teams for a scheduled tour to Pakistan next month.<\/p>\n

Those tours are to be followed by a series against the West Indies in December and Australia's first visit since 1998 in February next year.<\/p>\n

“England are now likely not to tour. Australia… will also probably not come. So that will be a hit,” Samiuddin said.<\/p>\n

“And for fans too, they've only just started getting used to going to big games again so for the prospect of that being taken away, it's going to hurt.”<\/p>\n

– Avoiding isolation –<\/p>\n

The PCB bled $200 million in losses during the country's cricket exile.<\/p>\n

Now, alongside the upcoming tours, its bids to host six international events — including the World Cup and Champion's Trophy between 2024-31 — could also be in jeopardy.<\/p>\n

Former players say keeping international cricket in Pakistan is the key priority.<\/p>\n

“All cricketers are with the PCB and we have to find ways to avoid further isolation, for the sake of our next generations,” former captain Rashid Latif told AFP.<\/p>\n

New Zealand would have been the highest profile team to play in Pakistan in more than a decade.<\/p>\n

Pakistan have only hosted South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe since the 2009 attacks.<\/p>\n

Ex-player Naushad Ali said his country needs to restore the confidence of the cricketing world.<\/p>\n

“Pakistan will have to prove that New Zealand's decision was wrong and I think only that will earn them sympathy,” said Ali.<\/p>\n

“We should not give up our hosting rights and should lobby with other countries.”<\/p>\n

But former captain Shahid Afridi believes they have sacrificed a lot over the years and deserve “a better deal”.<\/p>\n

“We have done more than enough for them,” he said.<\/p>\n

“We toured England and New Zealand (last year) despite fears of pandemic and we want them to reciprocate.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sports Desk: Pakistan cricket began confronting its worst fear Saturday, with the national side staring at another era of isolation from hosting international matches after New Zealand abandoned its tour, citing a security threat. The All Blacks called off their first Pakistan series in 18 years with Wellington’s backing on Friday just before the first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":71995,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n