Ravi Shastri couldn't contain laughter as O'Keeffe takes dig at Ian Smith for Kiwi's World Cup loss to India

In a light-hearted moment during the opening Test between Australia and Pakistan in Perth, former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri couldn't hold back his laughter as Australian commentator Kerry O’Keeffe jestingly poked fun at New Zealand’s cricketer-turned-commentator Ian Smith over the BlackCaps’ loss to India in the 2023 World Cup semifinal.

O’Keeffe, known for his humorous anecdotes, shared a tale about Riyaz Afridi, brother of Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi, who would reportedly abstain from eating for two days following Pakistan's cricket defeats. Amusingly, he turned to Ian Smith, asking how long he had refrained from eating after New Zealand's loss in the World Cup semifinal to India. Here's how the conversation unfolded,

O’Keeffe:

“One of seven brothers, of course, Shaheen Shah Afridi. His elder brother Riyaz was a very formidable bowler, terrific first-class record. Do you know when he was young, Pakistan lost a Test match, he didn’t eat for two days? What did you do when New Zealand lost,” O'Keeffe said on air for Fox Sports.

Ian Smith:

“(chuckles) That’s a seriously early punch,” he responded.

Here's the video of the commentators engaged in a fun banter:

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson had expressed his disappointment after India secured a 70-run victory in the high-scoring World Cup 2023 semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium. Williamson had acknowledged the superior performance of Rohit Sharma's team and credited them for outclassing the Kiwi side. Looking ahead, New Zealand are set to tour India for a three-match Test series scheduled between October and November 2024.

New Zealand had a long stay in Asian sub-continent  

India's victory over New Zealand in both the league stage and the semifinals of the 2023 World Cup had sparked some banter, especially considering India's prior losses to the Kiwis in the 2019 World Cup semifinal and the 2021 World Test Championship final. However, India couldn't clinch the World Cup title, as they were defeated by eventual champions Australia.

Post their World Cup exit, the New Zealand team remained in India, focusing on the red-ball game against Bangladesh. Despite their efforts, they could only level the two-match Test series. New Zealand skipper Tim Southee voiced his dissatisfaction with the pitches, particularly criticising the one used in the second Test as the worst he had encountered in his cricketing career.