In a moment that has captured the attention of cricket fans worldwide, Pakistan’s leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed found himself in the spotlight once again, but this time for a light-hearted confrontation with a fan rather than his bowling prowess. The incident, which has gone viral on social media, stems from a controversial send-off Ahmed gave to India’s Shubman Gill during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The confrontation occurred on the sidelines of Pakistan’s second ODI against New Zealand at Seddon Park. A passionate female fan approached Abrar Ahmed, who was not part of the playing XI, and directly questioned him about his actions towards Gill. ‘What were you signaling to Shubman Gill?’ she demanded, referencing the animated send-off that had sparked debate among fans.
Though the audio in the viral video was not clear, Abrar’s awkward reaction and nervous smile suggested he was caught off guard by the fan’s directness. The incident harks back to an intense moment during the India vs Pakistan clash in the Champions Trophy group stage, where Abrar dismissed a well-set Gill for 46 with a stunning leg-break. It was his subsequent animated gesture, urging Gill to walk off, that ignited controversy among Indian fans and on social media.
At the non-striker’s end, Virat Kohli appeared visibly surprised by both the dismissal and the send-off. As Abrar celebrated, social media erupted with memes and jokes, many of which mocked the Pakistani spinner for what was perceived as an over-the-top reaction. Despite the controversy, India comfortably chased down Pakistan’s total of 241, thanks in large part to Kohli’s brilliant unbeaten century of 100 off 111 balls.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s performance in the ODI series against New Zealand has been less than stellar. They suffered an 84-run defeat in the second ODI, handing New Zealand an unassailable 2-0 series lead. Pakistan’s top order crumbled early, with key players Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafique, and Imam-ul-Haq falling cheaply within the first six overs. Despite valiant efforts from Naseem Shah and Faheem Ashraf, who scored a half-century and a fighting knock respectively, Pakistan could not recover from their early collapse.