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Celebrities react with shock and anger at New Zealand abruptly backing out of Pakistan tour

Celebrities react with shock and anger at New Zealand abruptly backing out of Pakistan tour

Asim Azhar, Zarnish Khan and others slam New Zealand's last-minute decision and console disappointed cricket fans.
18 Sep, 2021

People across Pakistan have been taken aback by the New Zealand cricket team's abrupt cancellation of its tour of Pakistan. The Kiwis pulled out over security concerns mere minutes before the first match was due to start at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Many people took to the internet to voice their anger, as did several celebrities.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said that New Zealand Cricket (NZC) informed the board about "some security alert" and unilaterally decided to postpone the series. The NZC said Pakistan had been “wonderful hosts” but added that player safety was “paramount”.

Many public figures, politicians and cricket enthusiasts pondered over the security threat cited by the NZ team and couldn't understand what it was. Cricketer Shahid Afridi called the threat a "hoax" on Twitter. "On a hoax threat you have called-off the tour despite all assurances!! Black Caps do you understand the impact of your decision?" he asked.

Singer Yasir Jaswal wondered whether there was more to the decision behind the exit than actual security concerns. "The Black Caps embarrassed themselves. Also there has to be more to this, what do you guys think?" he asked his followers on Instagram Stories.

Pakistani singer and TV show host Fakhre Alam said as "a Pakistani citizen" he wants to know about "the credible threat that the Black Caps found". "It is only fair to share that intelligence with the Government of Pakistan so that if there is a real threat it can be neutralised immediately and lives are protected," he tweeted.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy said the withdrawal "makes no sense whatsoever". "New Zealand security team had given clearance and spent almost a month here," she wrote on Instagram Stories. "Pakistani security has been excellent."

Others expressed sadness at the sudden exist and offered support to aggrieved followers. VJ Anoushey Ashraf posted a message consoling cricket fans. "I am so sorry to the disappointed Pakistanis across the world after New Zealand's sudden withdrawal from the game," she said. The VJ also gave a "shout out" to PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan and shared a post about his emotional response to the turn of events.

Singer Asim Azhar consoled his followers. "It's sad but it's okay," he tweeted. "We’re a nation used to bouncing back. Pakistan is safe and always will be. We’ll still open heartedly welcome New Zealand or any other nation that thinks otherwise because that's who we are. P.S beware of a cornered Pakistan, world. See you at the Cricket T20 World Cup!"

Director Nabeel Qureshi called the withdrawal "devastating news" on Instagram.

Actor Zarnish Khan posted on Instagram Stories and said it was "quite disappointing to see how things turned out" and added the issue could have been handled "in a much better way without any diplomatic stunts".

It's safe to say that the Kiwi withdrawal has shocked and angered many Pakistanis. Many people are upset at the sudden cancellation, especially since Pakistanis don't get the opportunity to see many international matches played on their home turf.

Comments

A. ALI Sep 18, 2021 05:57pm
NZ wilted under pressure from the money rich ICC led by Aus, Eng and Ind. NZ put hundreds of other lives at risk by not sharing details of security threat. it was not only for them but for us as well. if they think we are lesser human beings or carry less value, then we need to revise our terms and think deep how to proceed with culminating indian threats for once and all to have normal life in Pak.
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A. ALI Sep 18, 2021 05:58pm
Nawaz and Zardari paid heavily for lobbying in the west against Pak.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Sep 18, 2021 06:14pm
They are 100 percent right.
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Leslie Sep 18, 2021 06:53pm
Request these celebrities to use their reach to request Taliban to allow equal rights for women.
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Assay Sep 18, 2021 07:05pm
Save some tweets for ECB decision
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NYS Sep 18, 2021 07:14pm
Such rediculious withdrawal decision have been taken by Kiwis although they don't know how much our locals are aware foreign safety despite that, their own life on stake
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M khan Sep 18, 2021 08:11pm
Here is what the NZ newspapers are saying According to overseas media, the intelligence came from Five Eyes, an intelligence alliance of New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United States and United Kingdom. The threat was deemed credible before the match, and led to phone calls between NZC and their counterparts at the Pakistan Cricket Board, and Pakistan and New Zealand Prime Ministers Imran Khan and Jacinda Ardern.
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Khan e Azam Sep 18, 2021 08:29pm
In the meantime, our government has offered blanket immunity to TTP, and none of this was news to any of these self-indulgent, jingoistic dimwits.
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Ali da Malanga Sep 18, 2021 08:39pm
Pakistanis are a resilient nation and we have shown it after each setback.
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Really Sep 18, 2021 08:46pm
Nobody wants to visit Pakistan with the Taliban next door and the people of Pakistan supporting the Taliban.
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Zak Sep 18, 2021 11:18pm
Express it on NZ cricket board and ICC websites.
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Rahat Sep 18, 2021 11:19pm
The cost to our country after so much hardwork, loses against terrorists years of tireless sacrafices for last 8 years how can we account this from Newzealand's most unworhy action? Not even our enemies have behaved in such a selfish and slithery way.
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Citizen Sep 19, 2021 12:26am
Instead of crying on split milk find out cause of Departure which is letter of AIG Islamabad
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Changez Khan Sep 19, 2021 02:35am
This is what happens when you play with the Chickens.
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Observer Sep 19, 2021 02:55am
"The Black Caps embarrassed themselves." Embarrassment is better than getting killed.
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One digiter Sep 19, 2021 03:30am
Does black caps and jacintha know which countries have nuclear weapons?
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Ibrahim S Sep 19, 2021 05:16am
The fault dear Brutus is NOT in stars but in ourselves
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sher singham Sep 19, 2021 05:53am
you reap what you sow.
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AMER Sep 19, 2021 06:13am
It is simple really. Argentina added 660 millions on their budget doc for 2020 to buy 12 JF 17 so England push their lackey NZ to back off the tour. It call realpolitik. Or you can call blackmailing Pakistan. I will bet England will not tour PAK nor NZ will share any terror evidence
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Mushtaq Sep 19, 2021 09:53am
It's understandably disappointing but Pakistani government and society think as if the world revolves around Pakistani. The level of self-entitlement Pakistanis show is just nauseating. Unless Pakistan learns the kind of place it occupies I'm the world, Pakistanis will continue to feel anxious about themselves.
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FAZ Sep 19, 2021 10:37am
The enemy targets to demoralize this nation. It only does the opposite! Lets reply them on ground.
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Anonymouseee Sep 19, 2021 10:43am
United we stand. Pakistan zindabad.
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M. Saeed Sep 19, 2021 12:38pm
It was more of a fear of the NZ's weak team's imminent failure, after checking the conditions on ground, than any other thing, for the sudden withdrawal from matches.
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Pehlwan Pathana Sep 19, 2021 12:41pm
Good golly miss Molly sure like to ball.
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Mahira Sep 19, 2021 02:52pm
@One digiter We have lost 70,000 people to terrorist attacks. Having nukes doesnt stop it.
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Wasim Jaweed Sep 19, 2021 03:05pm
@A. ALI The alleged threat was against the new zeland team and not against other citizens, so i dont think it puts 100's of lives at risk. Each country is allowed to make their own decisions, it was not great that they left it so late but we really need to stop taking this so personally as its not a good look. By we i mean the whole country its crazy that everyone is reacting this way. Lodge our complaint with ICC, at diplomatic level lodge our view with NZ govt Loads of tours get cancelled due to different reasons and one side is not happy, but i have never seen a reaction like the one in our country
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Kasam Hussain Sep 20, 2021 01:46am
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad England's men/women team might also be cancelling tour Pakistan still has a long way to go starting by mens mentality.
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John Cool Sep 20, 2021 01:47am
@NYS "Such rediculious withdrawal decision have been taken by Kiwis although they don't know how much our locals are aware foreign safety despite that, their own life on stake" Its not the locals, or majority of Pakistanis who are most welcoming and warm hearted, that are problems but the deep states special accommodation of certain undesirables.
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Sanjiv Sep 20, 2021 04:31am
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad blackcap is 100% Right
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Charlie Hebdo Sep 20, 2021 09:54am
Why blame NZ, this is where you have taken your country to. No one trusts you.
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Silent Observer Sep 20, 2021 10:06am
The kiwis proved they are actually Kiwis afterall !
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