NZ Champs Trophy Status Still Unclear
Vettori's team might not be in Pakistan.
The Champions Trophy is a little over three weeks away but it remains unclear whether or not New Zealand Cricket will be sending a team to Pakistan.
The New Zealand Cricket Players' Association have made it clear they are against the players travelling to the country for the one-day tournament because of fears for players' safety following a spate of bombings in recent months and the political instability in the region.
"We're still not in a position to comment publicly on the Champions Trophy," a New Zealand Cricket spokesman said on Monday. "We'll just continue to work through a process with the task force of the ICC (International Cricket Council) and we'll comment at the conclusion of that process."
The ICC task force, led by their general manager of cricket, David Richardson, and including Pakistan coach and former fast bowler Geoff Lawson and Tim May, the chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, met with New Zealand's players, NZCPA executive manager Heath Mills and NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan last Thursday in a bid to convince the New Zealanders that the players would be safe during the 17-day competition.
The ICC group then attended another meeting the same day with the NZC board, who met the following day to discuss the issue.
While several senior players including captain Daniel Vettori and Mills have made their feelings known on the situation since the ICC's decision last month to keep the tournament in Pakistan, New Zealand Cricket have been reluctant to comment.
That reluctance will remain until the ICC task force has met with players from England and South Africa this week, following their meeting with the Australians last Friday.
"We're just waiting to see what comes out of the process and those discussions (with England, South Africa and Australia) which are happening with the task force," said the NZC spokesman.
The outcome of those meetings could be that a second-string New Zealand side is sent to Pakistan, if a team goes at all.