Spinner Arafat Minhas made history by becoming the first Pakistani bowler to achieve a five-wicket haul on his One Day International (ODI) debut. This milestone was reached as Pakistan secured a comfortable five-wicket victory over Australia in the first match of the series held in Rawalpindi.
Minhas’ remarkable performance saw him finish with figures of 5-32, restricting the under-strength Australian team to 200 all out in 44.1 overs. In response, Pakistan successfully chased down the target with 45 balls to spare, marking a significant win in their 1,000th ODI milestone.
Babar Azam played a crucial role with a well-crafted 69 off 94 deliveries, supported by an impressive knock of 65 from Ghazi Ghori. The duo’s partnership of 127 runs for the third wicket proved vital as Pakistan overcame early setbacks when Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat departed.
Azam’s innings featured four boundaries and a six, while Ghori showcased his talent with eight boundaries before both fell to Nathan Ellis as Pakistan approached victory.
Expressing his joy at his debut performance, Minhas, who sealed the win with a six, emphasized his enjoyment of pressure situations. He stated, “It’s great to have achieved a record. I like to enjoy that pressure environment, and my focus was on enjoying this opportunity and it’s great to have contributed to the victory.”
Australia’s stand-in captain, Josh Inglis, acknowledged the team’s shortfall in runs, mentioning that an additional 30-40 runs could have made the contest more engaging. The absence of key players like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, along with opener Travis Head, posed challenges for the Australian side.
During Australia’s innings, Matthew Renshaw scored 61 runs following opener Matthew Short’s contribution of 55, but the team struggled against Pakistan’s spin bowlers, who accounted for eight wickets. Abrar played a pivotal role by breaking the opening partnership and eventually dismissing Renshaw.
Minhas proved to be the star performer as he dismantled Australia’s middle order, claiming crucial wickets including Inglis, Labuschagne, and Green. Despite a brief resistance from Short and Renshaw, Minhas’ brilliance shone through as he completed his five-wicket haul by removing Ellis.
The upcoming matches of the series are set to take place in Lahore on Tuesday and Thursday, anticipating more intense cricketing action between the two sides.
