Arafat Minhas on Tuesday at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with an all-round performance scoring 59 runs and taking 6 wickets, helped Pakistan defeat England by 87 runs. This match was part of the 2026 Pakistan ODI Tri-Series.
Pakistan's Strong Performance in Batting
Pakistan batted first in this match and set a challenging target for England by scoring a total of 302 runs for 9 wickets in 50 overs. Initially, Pakistan faced difficulties by losing Fakhar Zaman on the first ball. Saeem Ayub scored 8 runs and Babar Azam contributed 34 runs before being dismissed. Saud Shakeel also added 35 runs to the team, but after losing five wickets for only 133 runs, the pressure mounted on the team.
Read more: Oman Hosts the Week of Arab Women's Championship and Musanah Competitions in Rowing
Hasan Nawaz stabilized the team with a strong performance, scoring 79 runs off 74 balls. With valuable support from Minhas, who scored 59 runs off 58 balls, he was able to help the team in the middle of the innings. Faheem Ashraf also finished the innings with 39 runs off 26 balls, bringing Pakistan's total to 302 runs.
England's Defeat in Response to Pakistan's Challenge
In response, England had a promising start with Tom Banton scoring 57 runs off 53 balls and Ben Duckett contributing 45 runs off 46 balls. However, after Duckett's dismissal, the team's momentum decreased. Banton also left the field after reaching his half-century, and Harry Brook could only manage 5 runs. Joe Root attempted to improve the situation, but Pakistan's bowlers continued to apply pressure.
Minhas emerged as the decisive factor with the ball, taking 6 wickets for 40 runs, dismantling England's middle and lower order. Ultimately, England was bowled out for 215 runs in 38.4 overs, falling short of the target by 87 runs.
Minhas was named Player of the Match, and his extraordinary performance with both bat and ball contributed to Pakistan's victory.
Read more: Arsenal Remains in the Championship Race with Victory Against Nottingham Forest · Mason Crane Called Up to England National Team for ODI Series in Pakistan
