NEW DELHI: A year after abandoning their tour over security concerns, the New Zealand cricket team led by Tim Southee on Thursday returned to Pakistan for 2 Tests series which will be followed by three ODIs.
The Kiwis are now the third team to tour Pakistan in 2022 after Australia and England.
Earlier, in September last year, New Zealand sparked frustration in Pakistan after they decided not to show up for the Rawalpindi Test and shockingly returned home.
The arrival of the Kiwis comes just days after England whitewashed Pakistan at home in a three-match Test series that has seen the hosts' cricket board chief sacked.
The current 15-man New Zealand squad is led by veteran pacer Southee and they will begin the tour with the first Test in Karachi from Monday.
The second Test is in Multan from January 3, followed by one-day internationals on January 10, 12 and 14 in Karachi.
Pakistan announced a 16-man squad for the Test series Wednesday, with a recall for fast bowler Hasan Ali.
Spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi misses out with a knee injury.
The Test series against New Zealand will provide Pakistan with a chance to improve on their performance after a humiliating defeat at the hands of England.
New Zealand cut short a tour in 2002 when a bomb blast outside their Karachi hotel killed 14 people including French naval staff. They returned in 2003 but avoided the mega port city.
Pakistan then became a no-go destination for international cricket in 2009 when the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked, forcing Pakistan to play home games at neutral venues, mostly in the United Arab Emirates.
But international cricket has gradually returned since 2015 following major security improvements and this year has been a big home season with visits by Australia, England and New Zealand.
New Zealand squad: Tim Southee (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, Will Young
(With inputs from AFP)
