All-round Arafat Minhas owns the show as Pakistan crush England in tri-series match

All-round Arafat Minhas owns the show as Pakistan crush England in tri-series match

As Gus Atkinson and Sonny Baker found themselves stranded at the same end, Arafat Minhas fumbled a throw from the deep. The run-out opportunity, with England already nine down, still stood. Arafat gathered the ball again and his slingy left arm, which had caused havoc in the preceding overs, produced a flat, direct throw that crashed into the stumps. It was the final act of an evening Arafat had made his own, leading Pakistan to an 87-run victory over England in the One-day International tri-series match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. The run-out capped an outstanding all-round performance from the left-arm spinner, who had earlier scored a crucial half-century before claiming six wickets for 40 runs in 8.4 overs to bowl England out for 215 with more than 10 overs to spare while chasing 303. England began the chase confidently, with Tom Banton and Ben Duckett racing to 91 without loss in 14.3 overs. Duckett made 45 off 46 balls, striking eight fours, while Banton scored 57 from 53 deliveries with five fours and two sixes. Haris Rauf broke the opening stand when Duckett mistimed a pull and Fakhar Zaman took the catch at deep fine leg. Arafat then changed the complexion of the chase, removing Banton with his third delivery as the opener swung across the line and picked out captain Shaheen Shah Afridi at midwicket. The spinner struck again by bowling England captain Harry Brook for five with a delivery that gripped and straightened, leaving the visitors at 128-3. Naseem Shah subsequently ended Joe Root’s resistance, bowling him for 33 off 35 balls with a skidding delivery that kept low and struck the off stump. Sam Curran and Jordan Cox attempted to keep England in contention, but the visitors’ resistance steadily faded. Curran made 27 before top-edging a pull off Haris to substitute fielder Ghazi Ghori at deep backward square leg. Cox, who scored 18, was trapped leg-before by Arafat’s quicker delivery and lost his review. Arafat continued his dismantling of the lower order, dismissing Jamie Overton for one when Hasan Nawaz took a catch at long-on after the batter charged down the pitch. Will Jacks briefly threatened a counterattack, striking Haris for six, but fell for 19 when he miscued Arafat to Shaheen at short midwicket. Arafat trapped Adil Rashid leg-before for a first-ball duck in the 39th over, completing his six-wicket haul. The final run-out of Atkinson then sealed a commanding win for Pakistan, with Arafat’s contribution proving decisive at both ends of the innings. Pakistan’s total of 302-9 had been built on a spirited recovery led by Hasan and Arafat, after the hosts slumped to 133-5 following England’s decision to field. Hasan and Arafat added 78 runs off 74 balls for the sixth wicket, reviving an innings that had threatened to unravel. Hasan struck 79 off 74 deliveries, including five fours and four sixes, before Faheem Ashraf provided a late surge with 39 off 26 balls. Arafat contributed 59 off 58, hitting nine fours, while captain Shaheen’s brisk five-ball 10 helped Pakistan cross 300. The hosts had made a disastrous start when Atkinson dismissed Fakhar for a first-ball duck, caught by Joe Root at short midwicket. Saim Ayub briefly counterattacked before falling for eight, skying Baker to Curran in the sixth over with Pakistan at 31-2. Babar Azam and Saad Baig attempted to stabilise the innings, but Babar’s 34 off 52 balls ended when Jacks breached his defences in the 15th over. Rashid then removed Salman Ali Agha for 16, caught by Atkinson at deep fine leg, leaving Pakistan at 81-4. Saad and Hasan offered resistance, adding 52 for the fifth wicket before Atkinson returned to dismiss Saad for 35 off 54 balls. Hasan and Arafat then took control, with Hasan finding the boundary through cover and backward point while punishing loose deliveries over the ropes. Hasan’s innings ended at 211-6 when Jamie Overton beat him with a yorker in the 40th over. Arafat continued the recovery alongside Faheem, whose aggressive strokeplay included consecutive boundaries against Rashid and a six off Root. Faheem fell for 39 in the 49th over, caught by Jacks at deep midwicket, while Arafat had earlier been dismissed for 59 after skying Baker to Brook at cover. Shaheen’s late boundaries ensured Pakistan finished with a formidable total.