ISLAMABAD: The New Zealand cricket team arrived in Pakistan on Saturday for a limited-over series marking the Kiwis’ first international series in the country since 2003.

They played a five-match One-day International (ODI) series in the country 18 years ago but since then Pakistan have hosted New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates three times because of security concerns of foreign teams.

New Zealand also had to cut short a tour of Pakistan in 2002, after a bomb blast outside their team hotel in Karachi.

But in the last six years, Pakistan have hosted Zimbabwe, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Africa as has the situation improved in the country.

New Zealand’s squad includes batting coach Sri Lankan Thilan Samaraweera who was injured in the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team bus in Lahore that made Pakistan a no-go zone for international cricket teams.

The series comprises three ODIs and five Twenty20 Internationals starting with the first ODI at Rawalpindi on Friday. The Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi will also host the other two ODIs on Sept 19 and 21 while Lahore will host all five T20s — on Sept 25, 26, 29, Oct 1 and 3— as both teams prepare for next month’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.

Originally, the ODI series was scheduled to be part of ICC Cricket World Cup Super League. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board said it will now be a bilateral series due to non-availability of Decision Review System (DRS) technology.

New Zealand are also scheduled to play two Tests in Pakistan in the 2022-23 season and the PCB said New Zealand Cricket has agreed that it will play three ODIs on that tour which will count towards the World Cup 2023 qualification.

In the absence of white-ball regulars captain Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Lockie Ferguson New Zealand struggled in Bangladesh, losing the T20 series 3-2 under the captaincy of Tom Latham.

All four players missed out on the tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan because of their commitment in the Indian Premier League, which resumes in the UAE from Sept. 19.

Ross Taylor will also be absent as the experienced batsman was not only rested for the tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan but will also miss out the T20 World Cup.

Stand-in skipper Latham said he and his players were happy to be in Pakistan. “It’s obviously very pleasing for Pakistan as a nation.

“For us, it’s just about going there and trying to adapt to conditions,” Latham added. “So, another opportunity for the group and they’re all looking forward to it.”

The PCB secured government approval for 25% capacity crowds at both Pindi Cricket Stadium and Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore which means 4,500 spectators can attend the games in Rawalpindi and 5,500 in Lahore.

The Kiwis’ T20 team will be strengthened with the return of opening batter Martin Guptill and spinner Ish Sodhi, both of whom missed the T20 series in Bangladesh. They’re scheduled to arrive in Pakistan later on Saturday alongside Todd Astle, Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman.

After three days of isolation in the team hotel, New Zealand will play two intra-squad matches at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

ODI squad: Tom Latham (captain), Finn Allen, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell, Doug Bracewell, Colin de Grandhomme, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Scott Kuggeleijn, Cole McConchie, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Blair Tickner, Will Young,

T20 squad: Latham (captain), Allen, Todd Astle, Bennett, Blundell, Mark Chapman, de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Patel, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears, Tickner, Young.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2021