Rawalpindi: Pakistan all-rounder Arafat Minhas has achieved a significant milestone in One-Day International (ODI) cricket after delivering a match-winning performance against England in the second match of the tri-nation series in Rawalpindi.
England won the toss and elected to bowl first. Pakistan responded by posting 302 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 50 overs, setting England a challenging target of 303 runs.
In reply, England struggled against Pakistan’s bowling attack and were dismissed for 215 in the 39th over. Pakistan secured a convincing victory, with Minhas playing a crucial role with both bat and ball.
Minhas scored a valuable 59 runs during Pakistan’s innings, helping his team build a competitive total. He then produced an outstanding bowling performance, claiming six wickets for 40 runs to dismantle England’s batting lineup.
With this achievement, Minhas became only the third Pakistani cricketer to score a half-century and take five or more wickets in the same ODI match. The rare all-round feat places him alongside former Pakistan stars Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq.
Afridi had achieved the milestone three times, while Razzaq accomplished it once. Afridi first recorded the feat against England in Lahore in 2000, scoring 61 runs and taking five wickets for 40 runs. He remains the Pakistani player to have achieved this particular ODI double the most times.
Razzaq also produced a similar performance against India in 2000, scoring 70 runs and claiming five wickets. Minhas’s latest display adds his name to this distinguished list and highlights his impact on Pakistan’s victory over England.
