New Zealand Cricket Board has expressed its appreciation of the security extended to its squad, by the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Government of Pakistan during the recent tour, cut short by the bomb blast in Karachi. This was stated in a letter by Chief Executive of New Zealand Cricket Board, Mr. Martin Snedden, addressed to Director PCB, his counterpart in Pakistan.

With the permission of Mr. Martin Snedden, the relevant extracts of his letter are reproduced: -

"The Board and management and members of the New Zealand Cricket team are unanimously of the view that your Board and your government did everything reasonably possible to protect the safety of our players during the tour."

It would not be reasonable for New Zealand Cricket, or any one else, to hold you or the Pakistan Cricket Board in any way responsible for what happened. Unfortunately the lesson we have learned from this incident is that it is virtually impossible to provide complete protection when you are dealing with people who are prepared to sacrifice their own lives in order to inflict damage and misery on others.

"Our players were extremely shocked and traumatized by their experiences. They are taking time to recover but I am hopeful that none of them will suffer long-term ill affects as a result of their involvement."

"Over the last few days I have thought often about your players. I sincerely hope that there are no long-term ill-affects for your players either."

Mr. Snedden continued that "you must not believe that this is in any way your fault or that you have in any way let anyone down."

He further added, "I value the friendship we have struck up since our first meeting in June last year" and that he admired the "calm and sensible way" in which "very serious issues" that we "have had to face over the last 12 months have been dealt with".

The Chairman and the PCB thank New Zealand for this very warm and supportive message, and deeply appreciate the sensitivity and courtesy shown by Mr. Martin Snedden.

Khalid Butt
Media Manager
May 21, 2002

© PCB