New Zealand rescheduling Pakistan tour? PCB chairman Ramiz Raja drops major hint

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja hinted that the New Zealand cricket board might be working to rescheduling their Pak tour after it abandoned the series last month due to "security threats". As per the Pakistan media reports, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has contacted PCB over the rescheduling of the series and "good news will be announced within a week".

The Kiwis were due to play Pakistan on September 17 in the first of three ODIs in Rawalpindi, before moving to Lahore for a five-match T20 series.

After New Zealand, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also cancelled its white-ball tours to Pakistan by the men's and women's teams due to take place this month, citing "increasing concerns about travelling to the region" and player welfare.

International cricket in Pakistan was suspended in the aftermath of terror attacks against the Sri Lankan side in 2009, but has slowly revived over the past two years. However, the cancellation of tours by England and New Zealand was a massive setback for the cricket-crazy nation.

While speaking before the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), Raja talked about the importance of making PCB self-sufficient and future of the Pakistan cricket.

During the meeting, he mentioned the New Zealand tour as he said, "The PCB may put forward its terms before the NZC by choosing the month of November in 2022 for the rescheduling of the recently postponed series."

On being asked by committee chairman Raza Rabbani that what if PCB does "not allow" the New Zealand tour, Raja replied, "We have to live with them. But we can tell them that Pakistan can find a time window for the tour at some point in 2022."

He further added that there shouldn't be any problem "if New Zealand were ready to play according to Pakistan's conditions".