A year after calling off their tour due to a threat to their safety, the New Zealand cricket team arrived in Pakistan on Thursday to play two Tests and three One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
The arrival of the New Zealand cricket team comes just a few days after England swept Pakistan at home in a three-match Test series, which resulted in the dismissal of the head of the Pakistani cricket board.
In September of the previous year, New Zealand caused widespread anger in Pakistan when they failed to show up at Rawalpindi Stadium and stated that they were flying home instead of continuing the match.
They rescheduled the visit after Australia completed a successful tour back in March, which was then followed by visits from England on two separate occasions.
Tim Southee, a seasoned fast bowler, will serve as the captain of the current 15-man New Zealand side, and they will start the tour with the first Test match in Karachi on Monday.
The second test match will begin on January 3 in Multan, and it will be followed by three one-day internationals in Karachi on January 10, 12, and 14.
On Wednesday, Pakistan revealed their 16-man squad for the next test series, which included the return of fast bowler Hasan Ali.
Due to a knee ailment, spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi will not be participating.
After suffering a humiliating loss at the hands of England, Pakistan will have the opportunity to show that they have learned from their mistakes in the upcoming test series against New Zealand.
During their visit in 2002, New Zealand was forced to cut it short after a bomb went off outside their hotel in Karachi, killing 14 people, including French naval staff. They went back in 2003, but they stayed away from the megaport metropolis.
When the Sri Lankan team bus was assaulted in 2009, Pakistan became a no-go location for international cricket. As a result, Pakistan has been forced to play its home games at neutral grounds, the majority of which have been played in the United Arab Emirates.
However, international cricket has been steadily returning since 2015 as a result of significant security improvements, and this year has been a significant domestic season with visits from Australia, England, and New Zealand.
Tim Southee, who also serves as the team’s captain, Michael Bracewell, Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson, and Will Young are members of the New Zealand squad.