E-Paper
NZ tour of Pakistan put back a week
The Pakistan Cricket Board has accepted a proposal from New Zealand to delay the start of their five-match one-day cricket series by a week.
Pakistani cricket authorities on Monday announced they have postponed by one week this month's tour by New Zealand after the Kiwis requested a revised itinerary in the wake of security fears.
"We have proposed a revised itinerary to New Zealand Cricket (NZC) after their request seeking a gap from their tour to India and coming to Pakistan," Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Samiul Hasan told AFP.
The Kiwis will arrive in Pakistan on November 27 instead of November 20.
"Since the New Zealanders are in India and as per ICC (International Cricket Council) regulations there should be a 10 day gap."
The final program will be announced on Tuesday.
The PCB spokesman denied security fears were behind the revised itinerary.
"There were no security fears earlier and nor there will be security fears after (Muslim fasting month) Ramadan. The tour is revised because New Zealand has injury problems to their key players," Hasan said.
Several New Zealand players have pulled out of the tour citing insecurity.
The New Zealand team was staying in southern Pakistani city Karachi when a suicide bomber killed 14 people outside their hotel.
The team abandoned the one-day match series, with Australia and the West Indies later cancelling their respective tours and switching to neutral third country venues.
The upcoming series has been arranged to compensate Pakistan for New Zealand's abandoned tour. But it has run into trouble after the team received an e-mail threat from unknown sources.
