All-rounder Shadab Khan playfully teased young fans by pretending to give them the ball during the second T20I of the ongoing five-match series between Pakistan and New Zealand at the University Oval in Dunedin. Shadab Khan’s lighthearted gesture quickly gained attention across social media platforms.
Pakistan showed some improvement with the bat in the second T20I on Tuesday, March 18. They posted a total of 135/9 in a rain-shortened 15-over match, but it wasn’t enough to challenge New Zealand. The home team comfortably chased down the target, securing a five-wicket victory with 11 balls to spare.
Watch: Shadab Khan Teases Young Fans with His Gesture at the Boundary
Pakistan managed to put up a fighting total, giving their bowlers something to defend. The chase began with Shaheen Afridi bowling a maiden over to Tim Seifert. However, New Zealand quickly shifted gears in the following over as Finn Allen went after Mohammad Ali. Allen hammered three sixes in the over.
During the second over of New Zealand’s innings, Shadab Khan teased young fans by pretending to give them the ball but pulled back at the last moment. The young fans tried to take the ball from Shadab’s hand but were visibly disappointed after failing to do so.
Have a look at the incident from the recent match right here:
Shadab Khan is ruthlessly crushing the hopes of young kids in Dunedin!
😥😥 pic.twitter.com/wPpM30NsOC— CricZebra (@criczebra) March 18, 2025
Shadab Khan Plays a Quick Cameo with the Bat in Pakistan’s Innings
Earlier, Pakistan lost quick wickets in the powerplay. Hasan Nawaz was dismissed for a duck in the first over, followed by Mohammad Haris, who managed 11 runs.
Agha Salman and Irfan Khan tried to rebuild with a 31-run stand. However, the middle order collapsed after Ish Sodhi’s twin strikes. Salman scored 46 runs off 28 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes.
Shadab Khan scored 26 runs off 14 balls, including two boundaries and as many sixes, before getting out. Shaheen Afridi added a late cameo of 22*, which pushed Pakistan to a respectable total, but it wasn’t enough to challenge New Zealand.
For New Zealand, Ben Sears, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, and Jimmy Neesham took two wickets each, helping the hosts secure a 2-0 lead in the series.
It Was a Good Game Compared to the Last Game – Salman Ali Agha
Speaking after the match, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said that the conditions were challenging. He felt the team’s performance was an improvement compared to the previous match, particularly in batting and fielding.
“It was freezing. It was a good game compared to the last game. We batted batter. Fielding was outstanding. Bowling in patches was good. The bounce we need to understand is different,” Salman said.
“After the powerplay, we bowled well. Haris bowled well. We need to be better in the powerplay. As a batting unit, we need to have better powerplay. And same as a bowling unit as well,” he added.
Also read: Mohammad Hafeez forced to backtrack on attack against 90s cricketers: ‘It was never personal…’
