Shaheen Afridi gives it back to Mohammad Rizwan after Pakistan captain argues needlessly: 'I'm sorry but you can't…'
Shaheen Afridi swiftly responded to Mohammad Rizwan after the Pakistan captain lashed out at the left-arm pacer.
Two of Pakistan cricket's biggest superstars – Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan – were involved in a heated moment during the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Karachi's National Stadium on Wednesday. Centuries from Tom Latham and Will Young, to go with a rampant fifty from Glenn Phillips left Pakistan short of ideas. The growing partnership between Latham and Phillips played a key role in New Zealand putting up a total of 320/5, and as they continued to launch an assault on the Pakistan bowlers, Rizwan was left frustrated. The Pakistan captain often lost his cool on bowlers, and rightly so. But when he crossed the line, Shaheen was having none of it.
The incident took place in the 47th over. New Zealand, placed smoothly at 265/4, had a close shave when a ball from Shaheen beat Latham but took the outside edge of his bat for a four. The delivery was rather good, squaring up Latham as he tried to flick the ball on the on-side. If anything, Shaheen should have been lauded for producing the first real exciting moment in the field for Pakistan since New Zealand lost the wicket of Will Young. But instead of motivating his pacer, Rizwan wasn't impressed. He said something animatedly to Shaheen – all signs pointing towards blaming the pacer – but the left-armer retaliated by hurling a mouthful of his own.
Watch the clip below:
Also Read: Pakistan vs New Zealand Highlights
Simon Doull backs Shaheen
Even former New Zealand quick Simon Doull, on air, disagreed with Rizwan's body language: "I'm sorry, but you cannot be having a go at the bowler there. It was a genuinely good delivery."
A few overs ago, Rizwan dished out a similar treatment to Abrar Ahmed as the left-arm spinner conceded 16 in his final over. After Latham swept him for six, Rizwan walked up to him and explained something to Abrar patiently. However, the next delivery, when Abrar did not learn, and Latham took him for two fours off the next three balls, Rizwan was miffed and shouted at the bowler.
Pakistan bowlers were belted, with Shaheen going wicketless for 68 runs and Haris Rauf conceding 83 runs for 2 wickets. Abrar, with 1/47, was Pakistan's most-economical bowler on show, as the rest of the bowlers went for plenty.
In the end, New Zealand secured a comfortable 60-run win to get their campaign off to a rollicking start and ruin Pakistan’s. The Men in Green replied with a very strange innings, unable to push on, accelerate or show any intent whatsoever. Babar Azam scored a half-century, playing a painfully slow knock of 64 in 90 balls. Khushdil Shah’s innings of 69 in just 49 balls was the only ray of hope for Pakistan but it came so late that it was only a matter of time before the BlackCaps wrapped things up. For New Zealand, William ORourke and captain Mitchell Santner bagged 3 wickets each.
The defeat pushes Pakistan on the brink of elimination, making Sunday’s match against India a do-or-die contest.
