Arafat Minhas produced the defining performance of the ODI tri-series so far, combining a composed half-century with a six-wicket haul as Pakistan defeated England by 87 runs in Rawalpindi. The 21-year-old left-hander made 59 off 58 balls to help the home side reach 302-9 after England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to field. Minhas then returned with his left-arm spin to claim 6-40, including the key wicket of Brook for 5, as England were bowled out for 215 with more than 11 overs to spare in their opening game of the tournament, which also features Sri Lanka.

Key facts at a glance

• Pakistan posted 302-9 after being put in to bat by England.
• Arafat Minhas scored 59 off 58 balls and later took 6-40.
• Hasan Nawaz made a career-best 79, sharing 78 with Minhas for the sixth wicket after Pakistan slipped to 133-5.
• England's opening pair Tom Banton and Ben Duckett added 91 in 14.3 overs before the innings collapsed.
• England were all out for 215, losing their last five wickets for 18 runs.
• Minhas became the third Pakistan all-rounder, after Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi, to take five wickets and score a half-century in an ODI.

Minhas and Nawaz repair Pakistan innings

Pakistan's innings was not a smooth march to 300. The top order struggled on a surface that looked good for batting at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and England's bowlers created regular openings. Fakhar Zaman fell to a brilliant low catch by Joe Root at short mid-wicket off Gus Atkinson's first ball. Saim Ayub's difficult run continued when he top-edged Sonny Baker's short ball to deep fine-leg for 8. Babar Azam made 34 and started confidently with three boundaries against Baker, who was expensive in his opening spell, but the former captain wasted another good start when Will Jacks bowled him.

Salman Ali Agha, a centurion in the first game, missed out on a low full toss from Adil Rashid and was caught by Atkinson at backward square leg. Saad Baig, who made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka on Sunday, showed plenty of promise before he was caught in the outfield off Atkinson for 35. At 133-5, Pakistan needed a substantial partnership, and Minhas found an ideal partner in Hasan Nawaz.

Nawaz, playing his sixth ODI, made a career-best 79. He began with a first-ball six off Rashid over long-on and survived a life on 28 when Atkinson could not hold onto a catch at backward square leg. He reached his half-century off 46 balls before Overton bowled him with a perfect yorker. Minhas, meanwhile, was dropped twice on 42 off Curran and then smashed three boundaries against the left-arm seamer. The pair put on 78 for the sixth wicket, giving Pakistan the platform to move beyond 300. Faheem Ashraf struck 39 off 26 balls, while paceman Baker grabbed two late wickets to finish with career-best figures of 3-65.

England's explosive start and Minhas's response

England's reply began with precisely the intent Brook wanted. Opening pair Tom Banton and Ben Duckett provided a whirlwind start of 91 in 14.3 overs. Duckett made 45 before he mistimed a pull against Haris Rauf and was caught at long leg. That dismissal opened the door for Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi's ploy to deploy spinners from both ends, and Minhas took full advantage.

Minhas had Banton caught at short mid-wicket in his second over before he bowled Brook with a ball that spun a long way. England's captain, who had chosen to field after winning the toss, was dismissed for 5. Joe Root hit 33 and Sam Curran, promoted to No. 5, made 27, but the rest of the batting order crumbled. Root's off-stump was knocked back by Naseem Shah before Minhas hurried through the middle order. England lost their last five wickets for only 18 runs, and Minhas wrapped up victory by running out Gus Atkinson with a direct throw.

Brook's assessment and England's next task

Brook admitted England had been happy to restrict Pakistan to 300 but regretted the way their chase fell away. 'We were quite happy with conceding 300,' Brook said. 'We thought they were slightly under par. We thought Banton and Ducky then set the tone and it was a case of losing too many wickets in clumps. We couldn't string the partnerships together.'

The result gave Pakistan their second successive win in the tri-series after their 37-run victory over Sri Lanka on Sunday. England, meanwhile, must regroup quickly before facing Sri Lanka on Thursday. The tournament, which also features the hosts and Sri Lanka, offers England a chance to test combinations and build rhythm, but the manner of this defeat will raise questions about their ability to manage spin in the middle overs.

A rare all-round ODI feat

Minhas's performance placed him in rare company. He became the third Pakistan all-rounder, after Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi, to grab a five-wicket haul and score a half century in an ODI. The feat underlined the value of a player who can contribute with both bat and ball, especially in conditions where spinners can become decisive in the middle innings.

The 21-year-old left-arm spinner kept his plans simple and relied on variations to deceive England's batters. 'I kept my plans simple,' Minhas said. 'I think variations are very important for a spinner as they help in deceiving the opposition batters.' His assessment reflected the way he operated: he did not try to overpower England with mystery, but instead changed pace, angle and length to force mistakes.

With the bat, Minhas showed maturity beyond his years. After Hasan Nawaz was dismissed, he took responsibility for batting deep into the innings. 'Hasan and I discussed that we need to bat deep,' Minhas said. 'I took charge after Hasan got out and I tried to bat until the end of the innings, which helped in taking the score beyond 300.' That approach proved crucial on a pitch where a total of 302-9 initially looked competitive rather than commanding.

Pakistan's spin strategy and England's collapse

Pakistan's captain Shaheen Shah Afridi deserves credit for the timing of his spin introduction. Once Duckett fell, Shaheen used spin from both ends and denied England the boundary flow that had marked the opening stand. Minhas and the other spinners slowed the scoring rate, built pressure and allowed the fielding side to attack with close catchers. The plan worked perfectly when Banton was caught at short mid-wicket and Brook was bowled by a ball that spun sharply.

England's middle order never recovered. Root and Curran attempted to rebuild, but Pakistan kept taking wickets at regular intervals. Naseem Shah's dismissal of Root, with the off-stump knocked back, was another key moment. From there, Minhas swept through the lower order, and the final five wickets fell for just 18 runs. The direct-hit run-out of Atkinson was a fitting end to a performance that combined control, aggression and awareness.

Context for the tri-series

The match was England's opening game of the tournament and Pakistan's second successive win. Sri Lanka, the third team in the series, lost the first match against Pakistan by 37 runs on Sunday. England now face Sri Lanka on Thursday with little time to reflect on a batting collapse that turned a promising chase into a heavy defeat. Pakistan, by contrast, have momentum and a match-winning all-rounder in form.

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium provided a good wicket for batting, but the match showed how quickly an ODI can change when a side loses wickets in clusters. England's start of 91 in 14.3 overs suggested they would chase 303 with relative comfort. Instead, Pakistan's spinners found grip and variation, and England's batters could not string together the partnerships required. The contrast between the two

Source: Business Standard News