Cricket Australia ‘monitoring’ the situation

LAHORE: Cricket Australia (CA) has started expressing reservations over the tour of Pakistan after New Zealand ‘unilaterally decided’ to postpone the tour on security alert.

The Kangaroos are scheduled to tour Pakistan in February-March next year for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is.

CA’s spokesperson was quoted by New Zealand-based newspaper ‘Stuff’ that they are monitoring the situation and will ‘talk with the relevant authorities once more information becomes known’.

CA supports international cricket returning to Pakistan, but expert safety advice will dictate its decision. The governing body is unlikely to rush to a decision.

However, it is hard to envisage Australia’s security intel being substantially different from that of New Zealand.

The Blackcaps postponed the series moments before the start of the first ODI after an escalation in threat levels in the New Zealand government and the advice of security advisors. They were visiting Pakistan for the first time in 18 years and were due to play three ODIs and five T20Is in Rawalpindi and Lahore.