Arafat Minhas Shines as Pakistan Defeats England by 87 Runs in ODI Series
Arafat Minhas led Pakistan to an 87-run victory over England, achieving a rare ODI feat in just his fifth match.
Rawalpindi, October 21 (Daily Kiran) : Pakistan triumphed over England by 87 runs in a thrilling One Day International (ODI) match held in Rawalpindi on October 21. The standout performer for Pakistan was all-rounder Arafat Minhas, who delivered an exceptional performance with both bat and ball.
Batting at number seven, the 21-year-old left-handed batsman scored 59 runs off 58 balls, hitting nine boundaries. In addition to his batting prowess, Minhas showcased his bowling skills, taking six wickets for 40 runs in 8.4 overs.
His remarkable contribution earned him the Player of the Match award, marking him as the third Pakistani cricketer to score a half-century and take five or more wickets in a single ODI match. This achievement came in just his fifth ODI appearance.
Before Minhas, only Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq had accomplished this feat for Pakistan. Afridi managed to do it three times, while Razzaq achieved it once during his career.
Among international players outside of Pakistan, legends like Viv Richards, Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle, and Shakib Al Hasan have also reached this milestone in ODIs.
In the match, England won the toss and opted to bowl first. Pakistan set a challenging target, scoring 302 runs for the loss of nine wickets, with notable contributions from Hasan Nawaz (79), Arafat Minhas (59), Faheem Ashraf (39), Sad Beg (35), and Babar Azam (34).
For England, Sony Baker took three wickets, while Gus Atkinson claimed two. Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, and Sam Curran each took one wicket.
Chasing 303 runs, England started strong with Tom Banton and Ben Duckett forming a solid opening partnership that yielded 91 runs in 14.3 overs. However, the middle order faltered against Minhas’s lethal bowling attack. England was bowled out for 215 runs in 38.4 overs, suffering an 87-run defeat. Banton scored 57 runs, Duckett added 45, and Joe Root contributed 33 runs.
For Pakistan, Arafat Minhas led the bowling attack with six wickets, while Haris Rauf took two and Naseem Shah claimed one wicket.
