The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has raised serious concerns over an incident that took place during the third ODI against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui last week. According to PCB, several players were subjected to verbal abuse by “foreign spectators,” which eventually led to a tense altercation involving all-rounder Khushdil Shah.
The situation briefly escalated before security personnel intervened and restrained Shah from further engagement, preventing things from getting out of hand. Eyewitnesses at the ground reported that Shah appeared visibly agitated after hearing a string of inflammatory comments and anti-national slogans directed at the Pakistani players.
The confrontation involved two fans, who were swiftly ejected from the stadium following intervention by ground officials. In a strongly worded statement, the PCB condemned the behavior and expressed support for Shah and the team.
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“The Pakistan cricket team management has strongly condemned the abusive language directed at national players by foreign spectators,” the statement read. It further clarified that Shah reacted only after hearing anti-Pakistan slogans and acted in an attempt to de-escalate the matter.
Nah man, these t€rror!st type players should be banned from international cricket permanently. Earlier it was Haris, now Khushdil Saha. What kind of behavior is this? PCB should educate them on how to behave with spectators. pic.twitter.com/xY4l79JJi0
— 𝙕𝙄𝙈𝘽𝙐 😎 (@Zimbu12_) April 5, 2025
“When anti-Pakistan chants surfaced, Khushdil Shah asked the spectators to refrain. However, the situation escalated when the individuals continued using inappropriate language in Pashto. After a formal complaint by the Pakistani team, the stadium officials took necessary action and removed the disruptive spectators,” the PCB added.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) also acknowledged the incident. In their official communication, NZC confirmed that two spectators were expelled from the Bay Oval after an incident involving Khushdil Shah. “The altercation involved alleged abuse of Pakistan players in a foreign language, believed to be Pashto. Shah responded emotionally, but ground security acted promptly to defuse the situation,” NZC stated.
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The match ended in a disappointing loss for Pakistan, allowing New Zealand to complete a 3-0 ODI series sweep. The Kiwis had earlier secured a 4-1 victory in the preceding T20I series as well, underscoring a difficult tour for the visitors. The Pakistani squad will now turn their focus to the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025, which is scheduled to kick off on April 11.
