New Zealand cricket team coach Gary Stead urged his players to block out the noise around the upcoming Twenty20 (T20) World Cup opener against Pakistan.
According to Stuff, Stead said, “Certainly, being that it’s Pakistan, people will hype that up, but for us, it’s no different to any other match we play against them.”
The Kiwis will begin their World T20 campaign against Pakistan on October 26 at Sharjah after cancelling the tour of Pakistan minutes before the first One-Day International (ODI), citing a ‘security threat’.
Stead admitted that the decision to abandon the tour was disappointing for Pakistan but explained that it was not the team’s decision to make.
“Sometimes you don’t get made aware of everything, either. It’s really hard for me to comment on,” he said.
Following New Zealand’s abrupt decision, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also called off their Pakistan tour.
