Simon Doull questions ‘transparency’ of New Zealand’s Pakistan tour pullout

Former New Zealand cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull has questioned the transparency of the Kiwis’ decision to abandon Pakistan tour.

New Zealand was warned of a “specific, credible threat” against its team, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said, elaborating on the rationale for abruptly abandoning the tour of Pakistan. While the general tenor of the threat was immediately shared with the PCB, Chief Executive David White said specific details could not, and will not, be disclosed.

However, Doull feels that the intelligence should have been shared with Pakistan.

“I just worry about the transparency and that’s what I think Pakistan are worried about as well. We have gone through a lot of trouble to get back to this country for the last year and a half. Things have changed in the area in the last month and a half or two months, I understand that, but five teams have toured without issue. I was there, I had no issue at the start of the year when I was in Pakistan,” said Doull, during a YouTube show for Cricbuzz.

“How do they move forward without knowing what the intelligence was, without having any information, I think that’s very difficult form a Pakistan point of view,” he added.

“I feel for Pakistan, I feel for the fans of Pakistan, I feel for Ramiz Raja, for Imran Khan, for all of the hierarchy in Pakistan cricket. The issue around the transparency of the decision was my only issue. Should that intelligence have been shared? Should there have been some dialogue around it? I kind of feel it should have but I don’t know how the ins and outs of how all that works,” he further stated.

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He also threw weight behind New Zealand’s decision to pull out of Pakistan tour.

“It’s a tough situation. I completely understand where New Zealand have come from. The intelligence that they got was very credible according to them and you cannot ignore it… so New Zealand made the absolute right decision…players’ safety is paramount,” he concluded.