New Zealand cricket staff arrives in Pakistan after 18 years

The Kiwis landed on the Islamabad airport and headed to a lodge the place they’ll endure a compulsory isolation for 3 days earlier than commencing a two-day follow session on Sept 15, in line with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The ODI sequence towards New Zealand will likely be performed on the Rawalpindi Stadium, with matches scheduled for Sept 17, 19, and 21, whereas the Gaddafi Stadium will host 5 T20s scheduled to happen from Sept 25 to Oct 3.

In the meantime, the PCB and the New Zealand Cricket have mutually agreed to alter the standing of the ODI sequence to a bilateral sequence from the ICC Cricket World Cup Tremendous League fixtures as a result of non-availability of the Choice Overview System (DRS) — a requirement within the occasion taking part in situations, a PCB press launch stated.

As New Zealand will return to Pakistan within the 2022-23 season to play two Assessments and three ODIs, the 2 boards have agreed that these 50-over matches will now rely in direction of the ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup 2023 qualification.

Schedule

Sept 11 – Arrival in Islamabad

Sept 12-14 – Room isolation

Sept 15-16 – Coaching/follow/intra-squad match

Sept 17 – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi

Sept 19 – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi

Sept 21 – third ODI, Rawalpindi

Sept 25 – 1st T20I, Lahore

Sept 26 – 2nd T20I, Lahore

Sept 29 – third T20I, Lahore

Oct 01 – 4th T20I, Lahore

Oct 03 – fifth T20I, Lahore

Quite a lot of former cricketers and gamers of present males’s and girls’s groups expressed their contentment on the arrival of the Kiwis on a “historic tour”, PCB stated in an announcement.

“It’s a nice information for passionate cricket followers that New Zealand is arriving in Pakistan after a protracted hole. I nonetheless keep in mind a match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi when Shoaib Akhtar bowled actually quick and took six wickets,” recalled Rashid Latif, former wicket-keeper of the Pakistan staff.

Ladies’s staff all-rounder Nida Dar is hopeful of an “excited sequence” between the 2 sides.

“I’m wanting ahead to what guarantees to be thrilling sequence. My well-wishes are with the lads in inexperienced and I’m certain they’ll do nicely,” she stated.

Former Take a look at cricketer and now nationwide U19 coach Ijaz Ahmed stated the tour of New Zealand was one other step ahead in direction of the entire resumption of the worldwide cricket in Pakistan. “After New Zealand, England are on account of go to subsequent month right here, which is incredible for the cricket followers,” he stated.

New Zealand are the primary facet to go to Pakistan in what will likely be an action-packed 2021-22 season for the native cricket followers. Following the tour by Black Caps, England’s women and men sides will play T20 Internationals fixtures in Karachi earlier than West Indies are anticipated to reach within the port metropolis in December for 3 ODIs and three T20 Internationals.

Australia are then scheduled to undertake a full tour in February/March 2022 in what can be their first journey to Pakistan since 1998.

A bomb blast outdoors the New Zealand staff’s lodge in Karachi in 2002 had minimize brief the Black Caps’ final Take a look at tour of Pakistan, however they visited once more for an ODI sequence the next 12 months.

For the reason that 2003 ODI sequence, Pakistan have thrice hosted New Zealand for ODIs within the United Arab Emirates with the Black Caps successful the 2019-10 and 2014-15 sequence and drawing the 2018-19 rubber.

Nevertheless, Pakistan received the 2009-10 and 2018-19 T20I sequence whereas the 2014-15 sequence was shared.