‘Same route, same security but no threat today?’: Mohammad Hafeez questions the Black Caps departure

Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Hafeez took to Twitter to question the departure of the Black Caps, and tweeted, “Thanks to the security of Pakistan forces to make arrangements to @BLACKCAPS to reach airport Safe & Sound. Wonder same route & same security but no threat today???”

Thanks to the secutity of pakistan forces to make arrangements to @BLACKCAPS to reach at airport Safe & Sound. Wonder same route & same security but no threat today??? pic.twitter.com/mwxq6AFjyT

— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) September 18, 2021

A day after New Zealand abandoned their Pakistan tour, the newly appointed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja on Saturday called on players to channel their frustration into their performance.

In a video message, shared by the PCB, Ramiz Raja said: “Release your frustration and anger by channeling it towards your performance.”

PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja has a message for Pakistan cricket fans pic.twitter.com/cwEfcQXxus

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 18, 2021

“Everyone will want to play against you. So I want us to learn from this, move forward, and keep strong. There is no need to be disappointed,” said Ramiz.

“We will do whatever we can and you will soon get to hear good news and results,” said the chairman.

“It is a shared pain and whatever happened is not right for Pakistani cricket,” he said, calling the situation an “unfortunate scenario”.

“We have experienced such situations in the past but we have always moved forward. We have a lot of resilience and strength, and that is because of the fans and the cricket team,” he said.

Meanwhile, a PCB official speaking with Dawn said, “This is a blow to the efforts the PCB, the government, and the security agencies who had been making to fully restore international cricket in Pakistan.”

“The ICC has done nothing in these cases,” the official added. “Furthermore since the Indian lobby is strong at the ICC, so it will not be easy for the PCB to win any case of compensation against New Zealand.”

“There isn’t much hope that England will tour now,” said the official.

On Friday, the New Zealand cricket team had backed out of its tour of Pakistan over security concerns minutes before the first match was scheduled to start at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.