Pakistan was left humiliated on Friday after New Zealand pulled out of their limited-overs tour just an hour before the first ODI in Rawalpindi. This was New Zealand team’s first tour to Pakistan since 2003. New Zealand’s decision has left Pakistan former pacer Shoaib Akhtar fuming.
Shoaib Akhtar has taken to his YouTube channel to rant against the New Zealand team for abandoning their tour of Pakistan.
The furious cricketer can be heard saying, “Phichle panch che din se aap Islamabad mein ghoom rahe ho, kisi chidiya ne par bhi nahi mara” (For the last five to six days you all have been roaming around in Islamabad unharmed).
In a chuckle-worthy statement, Akhtar asserted that “Pakistan is one of the safe havens in the world” and that New Zealand should have trusted the country’s security. He said that the country’s security agencies have been working relentlessly to secure peace. “You should have faith in our intelligence agencies”, the former cricketer advises, continuously reassuring team New Zealand that Pakistan is one of the safest countries in the world.
Looking visibly irked, the pacer said that the touring team should not have embarrassed Pakistan as they did. “You should not have come to our country in the first place. Coming and then leaving abruptly will give a bad name to Pakistan,” lamented the Pakistani former cricketer.
‘There is no place on this earth where there is no security threat’: Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar further rued that Pakistan’s intelligence and security agencies had put in a lot of effort and arranged foolproof security for the New Zealand cricket team but “you ran away because of just one threat”.
The Pakistan former cricketer was so enraged and disappointed at the abrupt departure of the Kiwis that he seems to have lost his sanity. For him, security concerns is not a big enough reason to abandon the tour. Criticising the latter for the same, Shoaib Akhtar exclaimed that there is no place on this earth where there is no security threat. “You should have trusted our security system”, deplored the former cricketer.
This is very embarrassing, I can’t take it: Shoaib Akhtar
“Leaving like this is again a huge embarrassment for Pakistan. I can’t take it, it is very embarrassing”, said Akhtar during his 5.51-minute rant, adding that Pakistan will suffer. “I can see that whatever happened in Afghanistan, there a lot of countries will be out there to hurt Pakistan”.
Here, after ranting and raving for almost 6 minutes flat, the former cricketer asks his nation to stay strong and stand firmly with their establishment at a time as difficult as this. “We need to turn this embarrassment into courage, just go out there and win the world cup”, the former cricketer concluded his rant with a piece of advice for the Pakistan cricket team.
New Zealand abandon tour of Pakistan citing security threat
New Zealand Cricket had said it received a security alert from its government and made the decision to cancel the tour just moments before the scheduled start of the one-day international series in Rawalpindi.
Despite Pakistan’s claims of ‘fool-proof security,’ the New Zealand team decided against taking any chances. It was the latter’s first visit to Pakistan after a period of 18 long years. Although there was an initial period of uncertainty, the statement by the New Zealand cricket Board made it clear that the team will soon be departing for their homes. It comes as a major embarrassment for the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Imran Khan government, who have been trying to improve the global image of its country.
