Arafat Minhas stars as Pakistan beat England by 87 runs

Pakistan produced a commanding all-round performance to beat England by 87 runs in the second match of the ODI tri-series at Rawalpindi on October 20, 2026. The result was shaped by a recovery from a mid-innings stumble and a match-winning spell from Arafat Minhas, whose batting and bowling combined to deliver one of the most complete ODI performances by a Pakistan youngster this year.

Pakistan recover to post 302 for 9

After slipping to 133 for 5 in the 28th over, Pakistan needed a lower-order response to stay in the contest. They finished on 302 for 9 in 50 overs, a total that proved decisive because of the depth created by Hasan Nawaz and Arafat Minhas.

Nawaz top-scored with 79 off 74 balls, while Minhas added 59 off 58 balls for his maiden ODI half-century. Their partnership gave Pakistan the late acceleration they needed, turning a potentially ordinary total into one with match-winning value.

Minhas delivers a career-best all-round performance

The most important numbers of the match belonged to Arafat Minhas. He finished with 6 for 40 in 8.4 overs, the best bowling figures of his ODI career, and also contributed 59 runs with the bat. In a single game, he recorded a maiden ODI fifty and a career-best five-plus wicket haul, which is a rare combination in modern limited-overs cricket.

His spell had a direct effect on the chase. Minhas accounted for six of England’s ten wickets and removed the middle order after the opening stand had given the visitors a strong platform. For a young all-rounder, producing both top-tier batting and bowling numbers in the same match significantly raises his value in Pakistan’s ODI setup.

England start well, then lose control of the chase

England’s pursuit of 303 began with promise. Tom Banton and Ben Duckett put on 91 runs for the opening wicket, giving the innings structure and early momentum. However, the innings unravelled once Pakistan found consistent wicket-taking rhythm, and the chase never regained the same control.

England were eventually dismissed for 215 in 38.4 overs, falling well short of the target. From a statistical perspective, the difference was not just the final margin but the inability to convert an opening partnership into a long chase, especially after Pakistan’s recovery from 133 for 5 created a competitive total.

Key chase numbers

Why this performance matters for Pakistan

Minhas’ display stands out because it adds both volume and efficiency to his ODI profile. A strike rate above 100 with the bat and six wickets in fewer than nine overs with the ball is the kind of dual contribution that shapes selection value over time.

He had already made headlines earlier in 2026 by becoming the first Pakistani bowler to take a five-wicket haul on ODI debut. This performance went one step further. In a results-driven format, improving on an already notable debut with a 6 for 40 and a half-century suggests his development is moving in the right direction.

For Pakistan, the broader takeaway is that the lower order now has more than just resistance; it has scoring depth and wicket-taking balance. If Minhas continues producing these kinds of all-round returns, he could become one of the side’s most efficient limited-overs assets.

Match summary at a glance