Karachi, Oct 28 (IANS) Pakistan’s cricket authorities have decided against hiring private security guards for their ‘home’ series against New Zealand that will get underway in United Arab Emirates in November.
After ‘wasting’ millions of rupees for hiring private bodyguards for a limited-overs series against Australia in Dubai and Abu Dhabi early this summer, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided against continuing the exercise.

Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, said that the Board will rely on the security arrangements made by the UAE authorities for the limited-overs series against New Zealand that will be played in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The PCB came under fire for spending more than $100,000 to hire private guards for the series against Australia especially after a UAE Police official disclosed soon after the series that most of those guards had no combat training and were previously working either as cooks or drivers.

The PCB chief said that for the Australia series, the Board didn’t have enough time which is why it relied on private security firms.

Butt added that this time the PCB will pay an undisclosed amount to the UAE authorities for any extra security measures that need to be taken during the series that will include three one-day internationals in Abu Dhabi followed by back-to-back Twenty20 Internationals in Dubai. The series will conclude on November 13.

The series was supposed to be played in Pakistan but was shifted to UAE because of security concerns.