New Zealand's scheduled visit to Pakistan has been postponed for security reasons at least for the time being. Their tours have always been very popular in Pakistan and this suspension is a great disappointment for their fans. One can only hope a rescheduled tour soon takes place.

Summary of previous tours:
New Zealand's previous tours were in 1955-56, 1964-65, 1969-70, 1976-77, 1984-85, 1990-91 and 1996-97. A study of past records shows that Pakistan has not been a happy hunting ground for the Black Caps. In fact, they have not won a test series in Pakistan since 1969, 32 years ago. In terms of overall results of previous matches, Pakistan's performance is also dominant. 19 of the 42 Test matches and 35 of the 57 ODIs were decided in favour of Pakistan while only 6 victories in tests and 21 in ODIs were earned by New Zealand.

Prospects in a coming series:
Pakistan should be the favourites in a forthcoming series, possibly rescheduled in 2002, not only because of their excellent past record but more on account of their current tremendous all-round capability. Nevertheless, New Zealand has developed into a very competitive and fighting team in recent years. In fact, they gave the visiting Pakistan team a very tough time in the home series early this year. New Zealand won the One-Day series 3-2 and the test series was drawn 1-1. It may be noted that Pakistan has often suffered due to over confidence and complacency in the past but this time round they need a strong resolve for a first series win after four successive defeats at home. Presented below is a brief account of New Zealand previous tours to Pakistan.

The Previous Tours:

1955-56:
New Zealand was still in search of first test victory when they first visited Pakistan in 1955-56. But they found the hosts too strong. Pakistan, then the babes of international cricket had already made a creditable start. They had closely fought their inaugural test series against India and leveled the next against England – the first team to do so on its first tour. Eventually New Zealand lost to Pakistan 0-2 but not before they were highly admired for their memorable sportsman spirit in the second test match at Lahore, exhibited when Pakistan were set to chase 116 runs within two hours. New Zealand never resorted to any negative tactics to slow down the game to possibly deprive the home team from victory. Earlier, Pakistan won the Karachi test by an innings and one run, their first test victory on home soil. Zulfiqar Ahmed claimed 11 wickets for 79 runs. At Lahore Imtiaz Ahmed (209) associated with Waqar Hassan (189) to establish a 308 run partnership for the seventh wicket, which was only 39 runs short of the World record. New Zealand's Spencer McGregor also scored a century (111) and Noel Harford (93), John Reid (86) and Anthony MacGibbon (61) were the other notable scorers. At Dacca, incessant drizzle prevented play in most of the third test but New Zealand still barely escaped defeat being 56 runs behind and only four wickets left when the play ended. Khan Mohammad routed the visitors for 70 with figures of 6 for 21 in the first innings and Hanif Mohammad chiefly contributed in home teams total of 195 for 6 declared with a knock of 103.

1964–65:
After a dull unadventurous series in New Zealand ending only a month earlier, John Reid brought his team to resume hostilities in Pakistan. But this time Hanif Mohammad's men pulled up their socks to defeat New Zealand in the first test at Rawalpindi by an innings and 64 runs (the match lasted only for 12 hours and 40 minutes) and the third test at Karachi by 8 wickets. At Rawalpindi, Pervez Sajjad took four cheap wickets in each innings and New Zealand crashed to 79 runs in the second innings. In the 2nd Test at Lahore, Hanif Mohammad scored unbeaten 203 and Barry Sinclair made 130 in a high scoring drawn test. At Karachi, skipper John Reid played two gallant knocks of 128 and 76 but a polished 172 by the Pakistan's Saeed Ahmed in the first innings and a dashing 126 by Mohammad Ilyas in the second, made all the difference. Intikhab Alam claimed seven wickets for 92 runs.

1969–70:
Graham Dowling led a stronger New Zealand team than in the past. Pakistan suffered both on and off the field during this series. First, Saeed Ahmed was ousted from captaincy and missed the series and later `Little Master' Hanif Mohammad was forced to retire after the first test at Karachi. Not only did New Zealand fully exploit these Pakistan weaknesses but also with some fine performances notched up their first victory against Pakistan by 5 wickets at Lahore. Pakistan was bowled out for 114 in the first innings in this match. Shafqat Rana's 95 in the second and Pervez Sajjad's nine wicket haul was not good enough to avert defeat. Earlier, the first test at Karachi was drawn after debutant Mohammad Nazir claimed 7 for 99 in the first innings. The other notable event was Hanif Mohammad's last appearance in Test Cricket. The third test match at Dacca was Pakistan's last match there as a home ground. Here Pakistan could well have squared the series but stout last two wicket partnerships stretched the New Zealand second innings score from 101 for 8 to 200. Intikhab Alam's excellent bowling effort to claim ten wickets went in vain. Glenn Turner played a long innings of 110 and Mark Burgess scored 59 and 119 not out to ensure a series victory 1–0.

1976–77:
Glenn Turner led the fourth New Zealand team to visit Pakistan. The Pakistan team fielded in the first test match at Lahore is considered as strongest ever to represent the country. The team was: Majid Khan, Sadiq Mohammad, Zaheer Abbas, Mushtaq Mohammad (Captain), Javed Miandad, Asif Iqbal, Wasim Raja, Intikhab Alam, Imran Khan, Sarfiaz Nawaz, and Wasim Bari. At Lahore a fifth wicket partnership of 281 between debutant Javed Miandad (163) and Asif Iqbal (166) set the tone of the series. Pakistan won the series convincingly won by 2-0. Another debutant P.J. Petherick claimed a hat-trick. In the third test at Karachi on the first day, Majid Khan scored a century before lunch in 113 minutes to join the elite of Sir Donald Bradman, Victor Trumper and Charles Macartney. Javed Miandad scored (206) the first of his six double centuries. For New Zealand wicket-keeper Warren Lees made 152. Earlier, Pakistan had won second test at Hyderabad by ten wickets. During this tour Pakistan played their first One-Day International at home against the tourists at Sialkot. Man of the match Glenn Turner scored 67 in New Zealand's total of 198 for 8 in 35 overs that Pakistan failed to reach and lost the match by one run.

1984 –85:
Jeremy Coney led New Zealand and Zaheer Abbas skippered Pakistan to a 2-0 series win. Notable absentees in the series were leading all-rounders Richard Hadlee and Imran Khan. Iqbal Qasim who was drafted into the team at the eleventh hour returned with a match winning performance of 8 wickets for 106 runs. John Wright's 65 was the highest individual score at Lahore. John Reid scored 106 and New Zealand gained a first innings lead but Javed Miandad's century in each innings eventually brought Pakistan victory by 7 wickets in the second test at Hyderabad. In the third drawn test at Karachi John Reid scored 97. The home team also won the One-Day series by a 3–1 margin. Pakistan won by 46 runs at Peshawar, by 5 runs at Faisalabad and by one wicket at Multan. New Zealand won by 34 runs at Sialkot.

1990–91:
Pakistan clean swept both the test and One-Day series. Waqar Younis, Pakistan's current Captain had emerged as a new star in the cricket world. The home team comprehensively beat the tourists by an innings and 43 runs at Karachi where Shoaib Mohammad scored an unbeaten 203 and Waqar Younis claimed 7 wickets. New Zealand were again out played at Lahore when Waqar Younis took ten wickets and Shoaib Mohammad scored another hundred (105). New Zealand Captain, Martin Crowe also scored a century (108). The third test at Faisalabad was more exciting. After being dismissed for a paltry 102 in the first innings Pakistan came from behind to win by 65 runs through a heroic knock of 142 by Shoaib Mohammad in the 2nd innings and Waqar Younis's twelve wicket haul in the match. Pringle also claimed 11 for 152. In the One-Day series Pakistan won by 19 runs at Lahore, by 8 wickets at Peshawar and by 105 runs at Sialkot. Saeed Anwar (101) and Rameez Raja (114) won man of the match awards at Lahore and Sialkot respectively and Waqar Younis with 5 for 11 took the award at Peshawar.

1996 – 97:
New Zealand won a test match in Pakistan after 27 years when they dramatically beat Pakistan in the first test of the two test series at Lahore by 44 runs. After conceding a lead in the first innings, Stephen Fleming (92 not out) and Chris Cairns (93) restored New Zealand's position that Wasim's superb knock of 109 failed to stop New Zealand from winning. Rookie fast bowler Mohammad Zahid's 11 wickets for 130 and centuries by Saeed Anwar (149) and Ijaz Ahmed (125) forced a magnificent innings victory for Pakistan to square the series 1-1 in the second test at Rawalpindi. Pakistan won the One-Day International series 2-1 by winning at Gujranwala by 11 runs, at Sialkot by 46 runs while New Zealand clinched the third encounter at Karachi by 7 wickets.

Expected Series:
The strong New Zealand squad which was on the way to Pakistan prior to suspension of the tour included: Stephen Fleming (Captain), Nathan Astle, Mathew Bell, James Franklin, Chris Martin, Craig McMillan, Shayne O'Connor, Jacob Oram, Adam Prore, Mark Richardson, Mathew Sinclair, Glen Sulzberger, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Lou Vincent and Dion Nash. However, on paper Pakistan certainly looks a stronger outfit and would stand a good chance of winning the forthcoming series. Yet the Black Caps under the astute leadership of Stephen Fleming are likely, once again, to give the home team a tough fight.

Previous New Zealand tours to Pakistan 1955-56 To date

Year	TEST MATCHES
	Won (NZ)	Lost (NZ)	Drawn
1955 - 56	0	2	1
1964 - 65	0	2	1
1969 - 70	1	0	2
1976 - 77	0	2	1
1984 - 85	0	2	1
1990 - 91	0	3	0
1996 - 97	1	1	0
TOTAL	2	12	6

Year	ONE-DAY MATCHES
	Won (NZ)	Lost (NZ)	Tied	No Result
1976 - 77	1	0	0	0
1984 - 85	1	3	0	0
1990 - 91	0	3	0	0
1996 - 97	1	2	0	0

© CricInfo Limited