Minhas Breaks Record on Debut to Set Up Pakistan Victory
Arafat Minhas – Record-Breaking Debut
Bowling: 5/32 in 10 overs – first Pakistani bowler to take a 5-wicket haul on ODI debut. Also first spinner in ODI history to take a 5-for on debut. Broke Zakir Khan’s 42-year-old record for best Pakistan bowling on debut (4/19, 1984)Wickets: Inglis, Labuschagne, Green, Short, Ellis – reduced Australia to 68/4With the bat: 18* off 17 balls Smashed the winning six off Marnus Labuschagne with 45 balls to spare.
Despite sweltering conditions, Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi had been encouraged to bowl first because of the dryness in the pitch. Pakistan, to make the most of it, played four spinners and just the two quicks and that they wrapped up the visitors' innings with 35 balls to spare for a meagre total suggested that all went according to plan.
Australia missing Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Head – fielded an under-strength side. Matthew Renshaw top-scored for Australia with 61, Matthew Short made 5521-year-old Minhas, a left-arm orthodox spinner, had played 4 T20Is before this.
Bottom line: Arafat Minhas made history with 5/32 on ODI debut – the first Pakistani to take a 5-for on debut – then hit the winning six, setting up Pakistan’s comfortable 5-wicket win over Australia in their 1000th ODI.
Australia started steadily with their makeshift opening pair of Matthew Short and Alex Carey finding boundaries in the first half of the opening powerplay. While Carey took his time to settle, Short crunched Haris Rauf for two consecutive fours through the off side in the second over. Soon Carey smoked Afridi for fours, but his stay at the crease was cut short in the seventh over as Abrar Ahmed had him caught at slip with a flighted delivery in what was his first over.
Shadab Khan, who was playing his first ODI since the 2023 World Cup, was smashed for a boundary on the first ball as he gave away 12 runs in the over. He never found his rhythm and proved to be the most expensive in the innings with none for 54 from eight overs. He had also gone wicketless in his last three matches, all during that World Cup in India.
As soon as he reached his 38th half-century in the format, Babar mistimed a loft down the ground but he was put down by Kuhnemann. He eventually fell to Ellis' slower ball, a delivery which kept low. Ellis accounted for Ghori in his next over and Labuschagne removed Agha as he missed an audacious slog sweep with six runs needed.
But Pakistan strolled to the finish line with 45 balls to spare and they were, fittingly, taken over the line with a gigantic six down the ground by Minhas, who made 18 not out off 17.
