The ultimate ODI of the Latest Zealand vs Pakistan series was witness to some ugly scenes as Khushdil Shah was dragged away by the safety. Several social media users claimed that Khushdil Shah was offended with some fans on the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. Another accounts claimed that he was offended resulting from anti-Pakistan slogans. Security needed to step in as a fan could possibly be seen restraining the cricketer.
A fan beating Pakistani cricketer Khushdil Shah in Latest Zealand. pic.twitter.com/pCnccxmZh0
— (@AbbasiAteeq20) April 5, 2025
“The Pakistan cricket team management has strongly condemned the abusive language directed at national players by foreign spectators. Through the match today, foreign spectators hurled inappropriate remarks at cricketers present on the sector,” the PCB said.
“When anti-Pakistan slogans emerged, cricketer Khushdil Shah stepped in and urged the spectators to refrain. In response, Afghan spectators escalated the situation by utilizing further inappropriate language in Pashto. Following the Pakistani team’s criticism, stadium officials intervened and ejected the 2 disruptive spectators,” the statement added.
Ben Sears’s second five-wicket haul on the trot inspired Latest Zealand to whitewash Pakistan with a 3-0 ODI series triumph, following their 43-run success within the third and final clash of the series at Bay Oval on Saturday. In a 42-over-reduced game resulting from a wet outfield, Pakistan’s pursuit of a 265-run goal began with Imam-ul-Haq retiring hurt after taking a bouncer from William O’Rourke on his helmet. He immediately removed his helmet, holding his jaw. After a transient halt, he was eventually taken off the sector, and Pakistan’s premier batter, Babar Azam, arrived on the crease to hold the fight for his side.
A 69-run partnership brewed between Babar and Abdullah Shafique because the duo flaunted their textbook strokeplay. Babar danced across the track to dispatch Michael Bracewell’s flighted delivery past the boundary rope for a maximum.
Sears, who effectively used the short ball ploy, broke the threatening partnership. Shafique (33) swivelled his hook with none timing straight all the way down to Jacob Duffy. The floodgates opened, and Pakistan began losing scalps at regular intervals.
Babar’s 50 kept Pakistan’s hopes high, but Daryl Mitchell set him up perfectly to scythe his scalp. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan (37) and Tayyab Tahir (33) resisted but gave away their wickets to Duffy. Sears cleaned up the center and tail-end to force Pakistan to pack on 221, surrendering to a 43-run defeat.
In a truncated ODI encounter, Latest Zealand tested their depth to blaze their strategy to a competitive 264/8 on the board. After being put to bat by Pakistan, Nick Kelly was the primary to fall. Naseem Shah’s delivery stopped and took a bit more flight than Kelly (3) would have anticipated. He went through his shot and sent the ball straight to Abdullah Shafique.
Rhys Mariu, who made his debut within the second ODI, upped the ante and provided a sound begin to the Kiwis despite the early setback. He forged a 78-run partnership with Henry Nicholls to pull the sport away from Pakistan.
With Pakistan on the cusp of conceding a 300-plus total, despite being a 42-over contest, Akif Javed forced the breakthrough against the run of play. Nicholls (32) holed out after making a gift of a top edge to Mohammad Wasim.
Rhys (58), who had notched up his maiden fifty moments before Nicholls’ dismissal for the Blackcaps within the ODIs, jumped on the bandwagon and returned to the dressing room after being pinned in front of the stumps by Sufiyan Muqeem.
Daryl Mitchell (43) and Tim Seifert (26) kept the scoreboard ticking with their swift attacking displays. Latest Zealand’s captain, Michael Bracewell, took the brunt on his shoulders and counterattacked with a fiery 59 from 40 deliveries to power the hosts to a 264/8.
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