27 September,2021 07:25 AM IST | Auckland | IANS
New Zealand cricket coach Gary Stead
New Zealand cricket coach Gary Stead stated on Sunday that the decision to abandon the limited-overs tour of Pakistan hours before the start of the first One-day International in Rawalpindi on September 17 had got nothing to do with the players.
New Zealand had called off their white-ball tour because of security concerns with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) issuing a statement saying that, "Following an escalation in the New Zealand Government threat levels for Pakistan, and advice from NZC security advisors on the ground, it has been decided the BLACKCAPS will not continue with the tour."
On Sunday, Stead said, "That decision [to abandon the tour] was out of our hands, and the guys are now in Dubai and getting ready, and there's the IPL that they can have a good look at, which in many ways is good preparation for them as well."
Of the 34-member squad, 24 players and support staff returned to New Zealand, while the others stayed back in the UAE for the IPL and to continue their World Cup preparations.
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