Shoaib Akhtar takes dig at New Zealand, says they might pull out due to too much noise inside the stadium

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar on Tuesday took a cheeky dig at New Zealand and said the Black Caps may ask for the match to be called off due to too much noise inside the stadium, if not for security concerns.

Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of India’s Rohit Sharma (Image Courtesy: Reuters)

HIGHLIGHTSNew Zealand might pull out due to too much noise inside stadium, says Shoaib AkhtarNew Zealand, recently had abandoned their tour to Pakistan hours before the first matchPakistan defeated India by 10 wickets to end the 29-year-old World Cup jinx

Pakistan will have ‘revenge’ on their mind for a recent off-field snub when they take on New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12 in Sharjah on Tuesday, looking to build on the historic high of beating arch-rivals India in their tournament opener.

For a lot of Pakistani fans, the team may have already won the World Cup by ending its 29-year-old World Cup jinx against India, but the Babar Azam-led team has already shown the hunger for going all the way.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar on Tuesday takes a cheeky dig on New Zealand and said the Black Caps may ask for the match to be called off due to too much noise inside the stadium, if not for security concerns.

“I request all Pakistan fans to remain silent and not enjoy too extravagantly. There is every chance that New Zealand may ask for the match to be called off due to too much noise inside the stadium, if not for security concerns,” Akhtar wrote on Twitter.

New Zealand had abandoned their tour to Pakistan hours before the first match recently, citing a security threat which, according to the host country, did not exist.

The pullout hampered Pakistan’s World Cup preparations, which took a further hit with England too withdrawing from the tour. Babar had hardly minced words in criticising the two sides saying that his country has “always tried to accommodate the interests of the game but others simply don’t.”

Tuesday’s game is being perceived by Pakistan’s cricket community as an opportunity for the team to extract revenge for the damage that New Zealand caused by going back without playing.

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