Khushdil Shah
Pakistan’s Khushdil Shah found himself embroiled in controversy following his aggressive confrontation with fans after Pakistan’s loss in the third and final ODI against New Zealand on Saturday.
The match, held at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, ended with Pakistan falling short by 43 runs, marking another defeat for the team in a series where their performance had already been subpar.
Khushdil Shah, who was not part of the playing XI for the third ODI, became visibly upset after fans in the stadium began taunting the Pakistan team over their dismal tour. Pakistan had already suffered a 0-3 defeat in the ODI series, adding to their earlier loss of 1-4 in the five-match T20I series.
The aggressive remarks and jeering from the fans, who were clearly dissatisfied with the team’s performance, led Khushdil to lose his cool.
The 30-year-old all-rounder charged toward the section of fans who had been mocking the team, a reaction that escalated quickly. Support staff rushed to intervene before the situation could worsen, managing to escort Khushdil away from the crowd.
While the exact cause of his outburst remains unclear, it was evident that the taunting and criticism from the crowd had a significant impact on Khushdil’s emotions.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) swiftly responded with an official statement addressing the incident. According to the PCB, some foreign spectators had been hurling abusive language at the Pakistani players. Khushdil Shah, hearing anti-Pakistan slogans, attempted to intervene and urged the spectators to stop.
However, the situation intensified when Afghan spectators, speaking in Pashto, escalated the confrontation with further inappropriate language. The PCB’s statement clarified that, after the Pakistani team complained, stadium officials took action and removed the disruptive spectators from the venue.
The match itself saw Pakistan’s batting falter once again. The team was set a target of 265 in a rain-affected game but could not chase it down. Mohammad Rizwan, who led the side, made 50 runs, while Babar Azam contributed with a knock of 37.
However, once both were dismissed, the rest of the batting lineup failed to deliver, leaving New Zealand to comfortably secure a 3-0 series win.
This loss follows Pakistan’s earlier poor performance, where they had been defeated 4-1 in the T20I series. To add to their woes, Pakistan’s inability to reach the semi-finals of the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy has left the team and its supporters in a state of frustration and disappointment.
