New Zealand reach Islamabad to play their first international series in Pakistan since 2003

After three days of isolation in the team hotel, New Zealand will play two intra-squad matches at the Pindi Cricket Stadium before the white-ball series begins from

The New Zealand cricket team arrived in Islamabad on Saturday for a limited-over series marking the Kiwis' first international series in Pakistan since 2003. They played a five-match ODI series in Lahore 18 years ago but since then Pakistan has hosted New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates three times because of security concerns of foreign teams touring Pakistan. Great to have arrived in IslamabadThanks for the warm welcome @TheRealPCB #PAKvNZ #CricketNation https://t.co/dmLaq7gygg With the team now in Pakistan ahead of 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is hear from batting coach @ronchi04 about his experience playing and coaching against @TheRealPCB and his time in Pakistan during @thePSLt20. #PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/0UkW7Ntui6 New Zealand's squad includes batting coach — Sri Lankan Thilan Samaraweera — who was injured in the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team bus in Lahore that made Pakistan a no-go zone for international cricket teams.