MOHSIN ALI
RAWALPINDI: Arafat Minhas produced a match-winning all-round display as Pakistan defeated England by 87 runs in the One-day International tri-series match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
The left-arm spinner first contributed a vital half-century with the bat before taking six wickets for 40 runs in 8.4 overs, helping Pakistan bowl England out for 215 in 38.4 overs while defending 303.
The contest ended with a run-out after Gus Atkinson and Sonny Baker were left stranded at the same end. Arafat initially failed to collect a throw from the deep, but quickly recovered and, with his slingy left-arm action, fired in a flat direct hit that struck the stumps to complete Pakistan’s victory.
England had started their chase strongly through Tom Banton and Ben Duckett, who put on 91 for the opening wicket in 14.3 overs. Duckett scored 45 off 46 balls, hitting eight fours, while Banton made 57 from 53 deliveries, including five fours and two sixes.
Haris Rauf gave Pakistan the breakthrough when Duckett mistimed a pull and Fakhar Zaman held the catch at deep fine leg. Arafat then shifted the momentum in Pakistan’s favour with his third ball, removing Banton as the opener swung across the line and was caught by Shaheen Shah Afridi at midwicket.
The spinner struck again when he bowled England captain Harry Brook for five with a delivery that gripped and straightened, reducing England to 128-3. Naseem Shah then dismissed Joe Root for 33 off 35 balls, sending down a skidding delivery that stayed low and hit the off stump.
Sam Curran and Jordan Cox tried to steady England, but Pakistan kept making inroads. Curran scored 27 before top-edging a pull off Haris to substitute fielder Ghazi Ghori at deep backward square leg. Cox made 18 before Arafat trapped him leg-before with a quicker delivery, with the batter also losing his review.
Arafat continued to run through England’s lower order. Jamie Overton fell for one after charging down the pitch and picking out Hasan Nawaz at long-on.
Will Jacks offered brief resistance, hitting Haris for a six, but he was dismissed for 19 after miscuing Arafat to Shaheen at short midwicket.
In the 39th over, Arafat trapped Adil Rashid leg-before for a first-ball duck to complete his six-wicket haul. The final run-out of Atkinson brought an emphatic finish to Pakistan’s performance.
England captain Brook said his team had begun well but could not build on the opening stand, with wickets falling in clusters after the first breakthrough.
