Khushdil Shah Clashes with Fans in 3rd ODI vs New Zealand

Pakistan all-rounder Khushdil Shah engaged in a heated exchange with fans during Saturday’s third ODI against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui.

Chasing a target of 265 in a 42-over match, Pakistan fell short, scoring only 221 runs in 40 overs. Babar Azam’s innings of 50 runs off 58 balls, which included four fours and one six, was the only highlight for Pakistan.

New Zealand’s Ben Sears was exceptional, taking 5 wickets for 34 runs, which led to Pakistan’s series whitewash. After the match, Shah’s confrontation with spectators became the main focus of attention.

Pakistan all-rounder Khushdil Shah lost his cool and charged at fans after the Mohammad Rizwan-led side lost the final ODI against New Zealand at Bay Oval. The reason behind his outburst remains unclear! pic.twitter.com/XPg9ze2Smr

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) April 5, 2025

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shed light on the incident, blaming foreign fans specifically Afghan spectators for hurling abusive taunts at players. Shah, visibly rattled, confronted them after their jeers turned personal. “They used offensive Pashto language,” the PCB noted. When he urged them to stop, the fans doubled down, escalating tensions. Some even tried physically engaging him, prompting security and teammates to step in and defuse the scene. Two spectators were ejected after Pakistan’s complaint.

Khushdil shah fight with fan after the match!#PAKvNZ #NZvsPAK #PakistanCricket pic.twitter.com/QVnZ5mrTEc

— 𝐅 𝐀 𝐈 𝐙 𝐀 𝐍 💫🇵🇰 (@Faizanali_152) April 5, 2025

Background of Shah’s Temper

This isn’t Shah’s first encounter with controversy. During the first T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch in March, he received a 50% match fee fine and three demerit points for a Level 2 ICC Code of Conduct breach. The charge was for barging into Kiwi pacer Zakary Foulkes during the eighth over, which violated rules against inappropriate physical contact.

This marked his first offence in 24 months. However, the recent incident underscores the pressure Pakistan faced during a challenging tour, which concluded with a 3-0 defeat in the ODI series.