Pakistani Cricketer Loses Temper After Defeat, Alters Course of LIVE Match with On-Field Confrontation

Mount Maunganui (The Uttam Hindu): Pakistan's tour of New Zealand ended not only with defeat in the third consecutive ODI but also with controversy as all-rounder Khushdil Shah lost his temper and got into a heated exchange with fans at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later issued a statement confirming the incident and defending its player's actions, citing abuse and anti-Pakistan slogans by a section of the foreign, reportedly Afghan, spectators.

After Pakistan lost the final ODI by 43 runs, concluding a demoralising tour that saw them lose the T20 series 1-4 and the ODI series 0-3, Khushdil attacked a section of the crowd. While the exact reason is unclear, video footage and eyewitness accounts suggest that the fans repeatedly taunted the team targeting its poor performance, which eventually led to the 30-year-old cricketer's outburst. The situation worsened when Khushdil attacked the group but was restrained by support staff and teammates. "The Pakistan team management strongly condemns abusive language towards the national players. Khushdil Shah intervened after hearing anti-Pakistan slogans, but the situation worsened further due to inappropriate comments in Pashto," the PCB said. The offending spectators were eventually evicted after an official complaint from the Pakistani side.

The incident overshadowed another poor performance on the field. Chasing 265 in a rain-curtailed 42-over contest, Pakistan once again failed to find the rhythm. Babar Azam's 50 and Mohammad Rizwan's quick 37 raised some hope, but the rest of the batting order crumbled under pressure, especially in the face of New Zealand's disciplined bowling, especially Ben Sears, who took his second consecutive five-wicket haul. Khushdil Shah later told Telecom Asia Sport from New Zealand that he reacted after the man abused Pakistan.

Khushdil said, "They were criticising the players and the team but when they started abusing my country, I got angry and went up to the man but he did not stop. It was only then that I spoke to him." In pictures circulating on social media, Khushdil was stopped by Pakistan reserve player Irfan Khan and a policeman when he was trying to cross the fence to confront the abusive fan. Pakistanis living in New Zealand were at Bay Oval in good numbers but were disappointed with the team's performance.