Chris Gayle
After New Zealand Cricket (NZC) abandoned their limited-overs Pakistan tour barely hours before the first ODI citing security reasons, West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle, who is known for seeing the lighter side of things even in the most serious of situations, said in jest on Sunday that he is willing to travel to the nation.
His tweet generated a lot of attention among fans. Several people including Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir, too, reacted to it. "See u there legend," Amir tweeted after Gayle's comment, "I'm going to Pakistan tomorrow, who coming with me? wink."
Gayle is currently in UAE training with the Punjab Kings side for the remainder of IPL 2021 beginning on Sunday. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), however, re-tweeted Gayle's tweet from their official handle.
Even two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Darren Sammy also voiced his opinion and said he has faced no security concerns during his multiple visits to Pakistan in the last six years.
"Disappointed waking up to the news of the cancellation of the Pakistan Vs New Zealand series because of security issues. Over the last 6 years playing and visiting Pakistan has been one of the most enjoyable experiences. I've always felt safe. this is a massive blow to Pakistan," Sammy tweeted.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand cricket team arrived in Dubai early on Sunday after leaving Pakistan but officials refused to give details of the security threat that forced them to abruptly cancel their tour.
