New Zealand approves Pakistan and West Indies Cricket tours

 

New Zealand's government has approved quarantine arrangements that would allow the Pakistan and West Indies teams to tour in the coming months, the country's cricket board said on Friday.

New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White said the visit will help the game through the Corona Virus pandemic. 

"It's an immense lift for us, it's our budgetary lifeline," he told columnists.

“International cricket funds the whole game of cricket in New Zealand, so it's very, very important for us.”

White said the teams would fly to Auckland and then catch a charter to Christchurch, where they would stay in quarantine while training at NZC's high-performance center in Lincoln University.

White said all players would follow health and testing protocols set down by the government.

"It's not going to come cheap, we will be footing the bill but we are happy to do that and fully understand it's a user-pays model," he said.

“We'll be guided by the government, whatever they demand, we'll follow.”

Sports Minister Grant Robertson said arranging quarantine bubbles for the touring teams had not been easy, but it was worth the effort to have an international sport in New Zealand again.

"In the same way as other New Zealanders I am anticipating seeing global game continuing," he said in an announcement. 

"It is a gigantic aspect of our way of life and unites us as a country."

In June, West Indies toured England for a three-Test tournament as the latter's cricket board looked to revive cricket amid the pandemic. Pakistan was the second team to tour England later that month. All matches took place behind closed doors in empty stadiums to curb the spread.