Every so often, a young player announces himself on the world stage in a single evening. At Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 20, 2026, that player was Arafat Minhas. The left-arm spinner struck a maiden ODI half-century and then claimed a career-best 6 for 40 — with a run-out for good measure — as Pakistan crushed England by 87 runs in the tri-series.
The rescue act: 59 off 58
Pakistan were in trouble at 133 for 5 after being sent in to bat. Then Minhas joined Hasan Nawaz, and the pair rebuilt the innings with a 78-run sixth-wicket stand. Nawaz top-scored with a superb 74-ball 79 (five fours, four sixes), but it was Minhas’s late-innings 59 off 58 balls — his first ODI fifty, laced with nine fours — that pushed Pakistan to a commanding 302 for 9. England, it is worth noting, dropped three catches during the stand.
There were useful contributions elsewhere too: Babar Azam made 34, wicketkeeper Saad Baig 35, and Faheem Ashraf smashed a quick-fire 39 late in the innings. Sonny Baker was England’s best bowler with 3 for 65.
The demolition: 6 for 40
England’s chase began perfectly. Tom Banton (57 off 53) and Ben Duckett (45 off 46) raced to 91 without loss, and at 120 for 1 in the 19th over, the visitors looked well on course.
Then Minhas happened. Introduced into the attack, he struck with his third delivery to remove Banton, bowled captain Harry Brook for five with a sharp turner, and trapped Jordan Cox for 18. He completed his second five-wicket haul in just five ODIs by dismissing Will Jacks and Jamie Overton, and finished with 6 for 40 in 8.4 overs as England collapsed to 215 all out in 38.4 overs.
Naseem Shah snared the prized wicket of Joe Root for 33 with a skidding delivery, and Haris Rauf removed the dangerous Sam Curran for 27. England lost their last nine wickets for 95 runs — a full-blown collapse.
The final act: a run-out to cap it off
With England nine down, Minhas fumbled a throw from the deep with Gus Atkinson and Sonny Baker stranded at the same end. He gathered the ball again and his slingy left arm produced a flat, direct hit that crashed into the stumps — the last act of an evening he had completely owned.
Why this performance matters
- Record books: Minhas joined Waqar Younis (7/36 at Leeds, 2001) and Umar Gul (6/42 at The Oval, 2010) as the only Pakistan bowlers to take six or more wickets against England in an ODI.
- Consistency: This was his second five-wicket haul in just five ODIs — 13 wickets at an economy of 4.16. This is no one-off.
- The all-round package: A fifty and a six-fer in the same match puts Minhas in the rarest category of ODI cricketers. Genuine spin-bowling all-rounders are gold dust in modern cricket.
- World Cup build-up: Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi praised the team’s progress, noting the form of Minhas and the fast bowlers as good signs ahead of next year’s World Cup. Pakistan have now beaten Sri Lanka (by 37 runs) and England in the tri-series.
England’s concern
Captain Harry Brook pointed to the lack of partnerships after a promising start — 120 for 1 becoming 215 all out is a collapse that will sting. England’s middle order had no answer to Minhas’s left-arm spin once the openers fell.
What next?
With two wins from two, Pakistan are firmly in control of the tri-series and building genuine momentum toward the World Cup. For Minhas, the challenge now is to back up a career-defining night. On this evidence, Pakistan may have found their next great spin-bowling all-rounder.
