Arafat Minhas delivered a historic all-round performance on Tuesday to lead Pakistan to an 87-run triumph over England, securing the host nation’s second consecutive win in the ongoing ODI tri-series. The 21-year-old left-hander played a crucial role in stabilizing Pakistan’s innings and later dismantling England’s batting lineup at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Opting to field after winning the toss, England initially kept Pakistan under pressure, reducing the hosts to 133-5. However, a significant recovery led by Minhas and Hasan Nawaz shifted the momentum. Nawaz, competing in his sixth ODI, notched a career-best 79, while Minhas recorded his maiden ODI half-century. Their 78-run partnership for the sixth wicket helped Pakistan post a competitive total of 302-9. 5, made 27 but the rest of the batters crumbled.
Pakistan’s top order had struggled early on. Fakhar Zaman departed to a brilliant low catch by Joe Root off Gus Atkinson’s opening delivery. Saim Ayub’s poor run continued as he was dismissed for 8, and Babar Azam, despite a confident start with three boundaries, was eventually bowled by Will Jacks for 34. Further complications arose when Salman Ali Agha fell to Adil Rashid, and debutant Saad Baig departed for 35. Who was expensive in his opening spell, before the former captain wasted another good start and was bowled by Will Jacks, babar Azam (34) started confidently with three boundaries against Baker. Nawaz, who started with a first-ball six off Rashid over long-on, got a life on 28 when Atkinson couldn’t hold onto a catch at backward square leg.
Nawaz’s aggressive approach included a first-ball six and a 46-ball half-century, though his innings ended when Jamie Overton bowled him with a precise yorker. Minhas, who received two reprieves while on 42, capitalized on his luck to finish with 59 off 58 balls. Late contributions from Faheem Ashraf, who struck 39 off 26 deliveries, helped boost the total, while Sonny Baker claimed career-best figures of 3-65 for England.
England began their chase strongly, with openers Tom Banton and Ben Duckett forging a 91-run stand in 14.3 overs. The partnership was broken when Duckett mistimed a pull shot off Haris Rauf, falling for 45. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi subsequently introduced spin from both ends, a tactical shift that proved decisive.
Minhas proved lethal with his left-arm spin, removing Banton for 57 and clean-bowling captain Harry Brook for just 5.
Although Joe Root contributed 33 and Sam Curran added 27, the English middle order struggled to maintain the required pace.
Naseem Shah dismissed Root, and Minhas systematically tore through the remaining lineup, finishing with impressive figures of 6-40. The match concluded when Minhas ran out Atkinson, sealing England’s fate at 215 all out with more than 11 overs remaining. Root’s off-stump was knocked back by Naseem Shah before Minhas hurried through the middle-order as England lost the last five wickets for only 18 runs. Minhas wrapped up victory by running out Gus Atkinson with a direct throw.
With this performance, Minhas joined the ranks of Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi as only the third Pakistani all-rounder to achieve a five-wicket haul and a half-century in the same ODI. England, having lost this opening fixture, is now set to face Sri Lanka on Thursday, a team that also suffered a 37-run defeat to Pakistan earlier in the week.
