Khushdil Shah breaks silence on fight with fans in New Zealand

Pakistan all-rounder and Karachi Kings' PSL player Khushdil Shah has opened up about the altercation with fans during the national team's recent tour of New Zealand, saying he could no longer stay silent after personal insults.

In an interview with a private TV channel, Khushdil responded to fans labelling him a "parchi" (a player selected through favouritism), saying, "I'm not the son of any cricketer or the nephew of a politician. No relative helped me get here; I've earned my place through hard work and performance."

He added that he comes from a humble background and believes critics should look at his past performances before passing judgment.

Recalling the incident in New Zealand, Khushdil said, "I've tolerated abuse for years, but when it comes to my country or my parents, I can't stay silent. If such behaviour happens again, I will respond the same way."

On being questioned about losing his wicket early in T20s, he defended his contributions by saying, "Sometimes my quick 25 runs win the match for the team, while even a century might not matter in other situations. I always play for the team."

During the third and final ODI of the New Zealand series, Khushdil Shah moved aggressively towards a group of fans but was stopped by security officials and fellow players before the situation escalated.

According to the PCB spokesperson, foreign fans had hurled offensive and anti-Pakistan remarks towards the players.

When Khushdil tried to intervene and stop them, the fans, reportedly Afghan nationals, responded with further abuse in Pashto and attempted to physically confront him. Following a complaint from the Pakistani team, two of the individuals were removed from the stadium.