Shaheen Afridi Fined for On-Field Clash with Matthew Breetzke in Tri-Nation Series

Aug, 9 2025

Shaheen Afridi Opens Up About Heated Incident with Matthew Breetzke

Cricket has its heated moments, but few make headlines quite like the spat between Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi and South Africa’s Matthew Breetzke during the Tri-Nation Series in Karachi. On February 12, 2025, tensions reached a high in the 28th over of South Africa’s innings. While going for a quick single, Breetzke nearly bumped into Afridi, who didn’t just let it slide. Instead, Afridi admitted he ramped up the intensity, deliberately getting in Breetzke’s way during another run to crank the pressure further.

What set this clash apart wasn’t just the physical bump but Afridi’s later confession. In an interview after the game, he outright said he was ‘teasing’ Breetzke. Why? Simply to rattle his focus and snatch his wicket. ‘For the first time, Matthew didn’t say anything. I kept teasing him to get a wicket. Whatever happened on the field stayed there,’ he revealed. By the end of the match, though, the two patched things up with a handshake and some friendly words, showing cricket’s classic ability to keep the heat of competition on the field and nowhere else.

Punishments and High Drama as Pakistan Takes the Win

The fallout didn’t end at the handshake. The International Cricket Council (ICC) hit Afridi with a 25 percent match fee fine, pointing to Article 2.12 about inappropriate contact during a match. He avoided a ban, much like the high-profile case involving India’s Virat Kohli and Australia’s Sam Konstas. Disciplinary lines are clear: push too far, and you’re paying part of your paycheck, but things have to really escalate before a player faces suspension.

The incident came during a tough contest. South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma put his side in to bat and, teaming up with Breetzke, built a 119-run partnership after an early Pakistani breakthrough. Breetzke’s 83 off 84 balls—packed with boundaries—looked set to anchor his side until he fell to Khushdil Shah. On the back foot with a target of 354, Pakistan’s chase was electric. Agha Salman’s 134 from 103 balls and Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten 122 sealed the deal, sending Pakistan to the tri-series final.

Pakistan’s wild celebrations after clinching the win drew more heat. Saud Shakeel and Kamran Ghulam got slapped with fines for over-the-top wicket celebrations as emotions spilled over. But even with these penalties, the squad’s energy stayed high, with a final showdown against New Zealand on the horizon. As much as this match will be remembered for Afridi and Breetzke’s on-field run-in, it was also a showcase of fiery cricket, big hits, and even bigger personalities on display in Karachi.