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Cricket, often celebrated as a gentleman’s game, is not without its share of controversies and dramatic moments. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 brought one such incident to the fore when Pakistan’s leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed dismissed India’s Shubman Gill with a stunning delivery. However, it wasn’t the dismissal that grabbed headlines—it was Abrar’s animated send-off to Gill that sparked outrage among Indian fans. Months later, this moment resurfaced during Pakistan’s series against New Zealand, as a fan confronted Abrar about his controversial gesture, creating yet another viral sensation.
Abrar Ahmed’s moment of glory against Shubman Gill
The India-Pakistan clash in the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was a high-stakes encounter filled with intense cricketing action. Abrar delivered a game-changing ball to dismiss Gill, who was well-set at 46 and inching closer to his half-century. The leg-spinner’s delivery—a magical leg-break—deceived Gill completely, crashing into the stumps and offering Pakistan a glimmer of hope in their defence of 241 runs.
However, Abrar’s celebration overshadowed his bowling brilliance. Walking up to Gill with folded arms and gesturing towards the pavilion, he signalled an aggressive “leave now” send-off that left Virat Kohli at the non-striker’s end visibly surprised. While Pakistan briefly gained momentum after Gill’s dismissal, India ultimately secured a comfortable victory thanks to Kohli’s unbeaten century.
Fan confrontation in New Zealand: Abrar put on the spot
Months after the Champions Trophy controversy, Abrar found himself facing questions from an unexpected quarter—a passionate fan during Pakistan’s ODI series against New Zealand. In a viral video from Seddon Park, a female fan approached Abrar, who was not part of the playing XI that day, and asked him directly about his send-off to Gill. Though her exact words were unclear in the clip, her tone conveyed frustration over Abrar’s behavior during the India-Pakistan match.
Caught off guard, Abrar responded with an awkward smile and nervous body language, seemingly unsure how to address the situation. The video quickly gained traction online, reigniting debates about sportsmanship and player conduct.
Here’s the video:
— urooj Jawed 🥀 (@cricketfan95989) April 2, 2025
Also READ: Pakistan star Naseem Shah fires back at personal jibes from former cricketers
Pakistan’s struggles: A tough series against New Zealand
While Abrar faced scrutiny off the field, Pakistan continued to struggle on it. Their ODI series against New Zealand highlighted ongoing issues within their team. In the second ODI at Seddon Park, Pakistan suffered an 84-run defeat as their top order collapsed under pressure. Despite valiant efforts from Naseem Shah and Faheem Ashraf lower down the order, Pakistan couldn’t avoid handing New Zealand an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
This poor performance added context to the fan confrontation; it seemed symbolic of broader frustrations with Pakistan cricket—both in terms of results and player behaviour.
