Out of favour Kiwi fast bowler, Mitchell McClenaghan has come in support of his nation who has been under the pump after the decision to cancel the tour of Pakistan abruptly on the day of the scheduled start of the three-match ODI series which was supposed to be followed by a five-match T20I series.
McClenaghan was reacting to a tweet by Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez who took a dig at New Zealand cricket via his Twitter handle. Hafeez had thanked the Pakistani security personnel for making safe arrangements for New Zealand contingent to fly out of Pakistan and sarcastically questioned why there was no threat today despite going via the same route and having the same security.
"Thanks to the security of Pakistan forces to make arrangements to @BLACKCAPS to reach at airport Safe & Sound. Wonder same route & same security but no threat today???," Hafeez had tweeted.
McClenaghan in his reply wrote "Come now, bro. This has a bad taste to it. Don't blame the players or the organisation blame our government. They have only acted on the advice they have received. I'm absolutely certain these young men all wanting to prove themselves wanted to play. they had no choice.”
The New Zealand contingent consisting of 34 personnel including 21 players reached UAE in the wee hours of Sunday. 21 of them will be returning home through the course of next week while the rest will join the national team for the T20 World Cup slated to start from 17th October in UAE and Oman.
New Zealand was slated to play a three-match ODI series and a five-match T20I series in Pakistan after a span of 18 years. They arrived in Pakistan on September 11 for the eight white-ball matches. However, New Zealand cricket abandoned the tour just hours before the start of the opening ODI in Rawalpindi citing security threats.