PCB to suffer major financial losses due to New Zealand series cancellation: report

• Pakistan cricket in shock after cancellation of New Zealand tour.
• PCB says matter will be taken up at ICC.
• Former PCB chairman says ICC can't do anything.

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will have to suffer major financial losses due to the cancellation of the New Zealand series, according to a Daily Jang report published Saturday.

The publication reported that the PCB may not get an insurance claim of the losses incurred due to the situation under which the tour was called off.

“Pakistan vs New Zealand series was insured but the board may not get the claim, however, the PCB will raise the matter at the International Cricket Council (ICC) to get compensation,” it added.

The Pakistani authorities made all efforts to assure the provision of security for the visitors. Prime Minister Imran Khan even contacted NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Arden but the Kiwis refused to play.

"Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan Government made foolproof security arrangements for all visiting teams. We have assured the New Zealand Cricket of the same. The Pakistan prime minister spoke personally to the prime minister of New Zealand and informed her that we have one of the best intelligence systems in the world and that no security threat of any kind exists for the visiting team," read the PCB statement announcing the cancellation of the tour.

'NZ will hear us at ICC'

Meanwhile, PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja has said that the matter will be taken up at the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"New Zealand will hear Pakistan at the International Cricket Council (ICC) on the decision of Kiwis for cancelling their tour to Pakistan citing a security alert," he had said in a message on social media.

Terming the quick developments a "crazy day", the PCB chairman had said he felt sorry for the fans and the players.

He had said that walking out of the tour by taking a unilateral approach on a security threat was very frustrating, especially when it’s not shared.

"Which world is NZ living in NZ will hear us at ICC," he said "Earlier Friday, New Zealand Cricket informed us they had been alerted to some security alert and have unilaterally decided to postpone the series," the PCB chairman had said. 

‘ICC can’t do anything’

Meanwhile, former PCB chairman Khalid Mahmood has said that Pakistan should react strongly to New Zealand's improper cancellation of the series, adding that other white teams could follow suit.

Reacting to the sad development, the former PCB boss said that Pakistan could not do anything against New Zealand in the ICC because the lobby of white teams there is very strong.

He said that New Zealand is a good country, the team is good, their government is also good, but the way they have backed out of the tour is not good.