New Zealand Cricket Players Association Chief Executive Heath Mills has said that threats to New Zealand cricket players before the Pakistan tour were not serious or were hoaxes.
A few players of the Black Caps team received threats on social media and other channels prior to touring Pakistan, Mills said while speaking to the media on Sunday.
He said that when the threats were reviewed and investigated, the security officials found them to be not serious or hoaxes.
According to Mills, these threats were not unusual for players who are set to tour another country.
"We have a comprehensive security-check process that we complete prior to going on any tour," he said, adding that they will always take that seriously and treat it as a serious issue until they can demonstrate otherwise.
He said that their security people did that, spent some time working through it and came back and concluded that they didn’t think that they were serious or they were hoaxes.
Earlier on Sunday, NZ Cricket CEO David White held a press conference where he had revealed that some players in the New Zealand camp had received threats "a few weeks ago".
He said that the New Zealand security provider had reviewed them and found that it was "a hoax and not credible".
However, Mills said the security alert received on Friday warranted that the New Zealand team abandon the tour.
"Once we went through that checking process and spoke to independent people, there was no doubt that it was a serious and credible threat on the tour.
"Once you hear that you understand there’s no option but for the team to come home," he said.
Mills said he was regularly in touch with the players and had tuned in for a video meeting with them when news of the security alert was first conveyed to the team.
He said the visiting party was initially shocked but added that they remained calm throughout the time. He added that it was a huge relief to all when the players arrived safely in Dubai.
"I think because they’ve been involved in the security-check processes, they had been on the ground and felt safe in Pakistan, saw the resources around them and have confidence in our security experts, they knew they were going to be okay while they remained in Pakistan at the hotel. So we just had to work on getting out," he said.
"There’s been anxiousness, they were keen to leave but they were very calm throughout the whole process."
New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White refused to share details and specifics of the "security threat" that the New Zealand government said it had received Friday before the first ODI at Rawlpindi.
New Zealand made headlines around the world when the cricket team called off its ODI and T20 series minutes before the toss for the first ODI between the two sides was scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi.
Talking to media persons, David White admitted that the board was initially satisfied with security arrangements in Pakistan which is why they sent their team to the country.
New Zealand had arrived in Pakistan after 18 years to play a cricket series.
He said, "The advice changed, the threat level changed and, as a consequence, we took the only responsible course of action possible."
However, White said that "everything changed" on Friday.
White said that it was unfortunate that the series was abandoned at the last minute, adding that there was no way that it could be held after the intelligence of a potential attack was received.
"What I can say is that we were advised this was a specific and credible threat against the team," White said.
White said some information had been shared with the Pakistan Cricket Board, however, "specific details could not, and will not, be disclosed - privately or publicly", New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said.
"We had several conversations with New Zealand government officials before making the decision and it was after informing the PCB of our position that we understand a telephone discussion was conducted between the respective prime ministers," he added.
He acknowledged that it was a "terribly difficult time" for Pakistan cricket but reiterated that New Zealand had no other option.
Kiwis arrive in UAE
The New Zealand cricket team arrived in Dubai early Sunday after fleeing Pakistan but officials refused to give details of the security threat that forced them to abruptly cancel their tour.
"The BLACKCAPS have arrived in Dubai after leaving Islamabad on a charter flight last night," New Zealand Cricket said in a statement.
"The contingent of 34 players and support staff are now settling into their Dubai hotel and undergoing their 24-hour period of self-isolation."
‘Which world is NZ living in?’
As expected, the news of New Zealand abandoning the Pakistan tour at the last minute did not go down well with PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja.
Describing it a "crazy" day, Raja said he felt sorry for Pakistani fans and players.
"Crazy day it has been! Feel so sorry for the fans and our players. Walking out of the tour by taking a unilateral approach on a security threat is very frustrating. Especially when it’s not shared!! Which world is NZ living in??NZ will hear us at ICC," he had tweeted.
‘We are liaising with our security team,’ says ECB
Shortly after New Zealand pulled out of the Pakistan cricket series, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had said Friday it would determine in the next 24-48 hours whether it will proceed with the tour or not.
England's men and women teams are due to play two T20s in Rawalpindi on October 13 and 14. The women's team are also due to play three ODIs in Pakistan on October 17, 19 and 21.
"We're aware of New Zealand's decision to pull out of the Pakistan tour due to a security alert," an ECB spokesperson had said.
"We are liaising with our security team who are on the ground in Pakistan to fully understand the situation. The ECB Board will then decide in the next 24-48 hours whether our planned tour should proceed."