Pakistan all-rounder Khushdil Shah lost his cool and moved towards a crowd of fans after the team was defeated by 43 runs in the third and final ODI against New Zealand at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on Saturday. While Khushdil was not included in the playing XI, he was in the team during the match.
What precisely prompted the altercation is not clear, but eyewitnesses say that fans were taunting him and his teammates over Pakistan’s dismal performance in the tour. The team had already lost 1-4 in the five-match T20I series and 0-3 on the ODI leg.
Support staff intervenes to diffuse tensions
The drama took a swift turn when Khushdil, 30, seemed to attack the crowd. Pakistan support staff members were on the spot and took him away before it escalated further.
The fans, eyewitnesses claimed, had all along hurled verbal insults at the players, ridiculing their performance and the series defeat.
PCB responds with strong condemnation of abuse
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) immediately issued a statement regarding the incident, condemning the actions of some spectators and detailing the events from their point of view.
“The management of the Pakistan cricket team has condemned in strong words the abusive language used by foreign spectators against national players. Foreign spectators made inappropriate comments against cricketers on the field during the match today,” the PCB stated.
The board disclosed that the situation worsened when Khushdil Shah approached the crowd after listening to insulting chants.
“When anti-Pakistan slogans arose, cricketer Khushdil Shah intervened and requested the spectators to stop. The Afghan spectators reacted by using more inappropriate language in Pashto. After a complaint from the Pakistani team, stadium officials took action and removed the two troublemaking spectators,” the statement read.
Pakistan’s losing streak in New Zealand continues
Pakistan’s woes persist in the decider ODI, where they lost by 43 runs despite a rain-affecting effort. In the chase of 265, coming off a re-calculated equation, the guests collapsed despite the gallant fifty from Babar Azam and a 37-run effort by Mohammad Rizwan.
After the duo left, no other batsman was able to dominate, and New Zealand won comfortably, sealing the series 3-0. Pakistan had previously lost the first two ODIs and were also subjected to a 4-1 loss in the T20I series.
Tough phase for Pakistan cricket continues
This tour contributed to Pakistan’s continued woes in international cricket. Previously, the team had also not made it to the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, adding to the criticism from fans and experts.
Khushdil Shah’s outburst is an expression of the growing frustration within the team, particularly as fan backlash grows louder. Although the PCB has made moves to control crowd behavior, the team’s current performance woes remain a source of tension both on and off the pitch.