Arafat Minhas stars in Pakistan’s huge win over England

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Arafat Minhas’ superb all-round performance catapulted Pakistan to an 87-run victory over England in their second game of the ODI-tri-series at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpinid on Tuesday.
Arafat hit a superb 59, coupled with Hasan Nawaz’ 79, to enable Pakistan post 302-9.
Arafat then produced his career-best figures of 6-40 in 8.4 overs to fold England for 215 in the 39th over.
This is the second successive victory from Pakistan in the series after they downed Sri Lanka by 37 runs in their opener the other day.
Set to chase 303, Ben Duckett and Tom Banton gave England a strong start, putting on 91 for the opening wicket partnership before Duckett was caught by Fakhar Zaman off Haris Rauf for 45.
He hit eight fours in his 46-ball knock.
Banton continued to score freely, making 57 off 53 deliveries, including five fours and two sixes, before he was caught by Shaheen Afridi off Arafat Minhas in the 19th over.
Arafat Minhas then got rid of England’s captain Harry Brook to leave the visitors at 128-3.
Joe Root and Sam Curran attempted to steady the innings, but Root was bowled by Naseem Shah for 33 which featured two fours. Haris then dismissed Curran for 27, caught by substitute fielder Ghazi Ghori, to leave England at 177-5 after 31.3 overs.
Arafat Minhas then had Jordan Coz, trapped lbw for a 16-ball 18 and England were gasping at 197-6.
Arafat continued to destroy England as he picked up the wickets of Jamie Overton (1), Will Jacks (19) Asil Rashid (0) to leave Pakistan just one wicket away of victory. Gus Atkinson (7) then got run out as Pakistan completed well-deserved victory.
Haris Rauf got 2-32.
After being put into bat first, Hasan Nawaz and Arafat Minhas struck solid fifties before Faheem Ashraf provided late fireworks as Pakistan recovered from an early collapse to post 302-9.
Hasan top-scored with 79 off 74 balls, hitting five fours and four sixes while Arafat contributed 59 from 58 deliveries, including nine boundaries.
England, who elected to field, made an immediate impact when Gus Atkinson dismissed Fakhar Zaman for a first-ball duck. Sonny Baker then removed Saim Ayub for eight, leaving Pakistan under pressure at 31-2.
Babar Azam and Saad Baig attempted to steady the innings, but Babar fell for 34 from 52 balls, having struck four fours, when he was bowled by Will Jacks. Salman Agha managed 16 before becoming Adil Rashid’s only victim, and Pakistan slipped to 81-4.
Baig scored 35 from 54 deliveries, hitting five fours, before Atkinson claimed his second wicket to leave Pakistan at 133-5 in the 28th over.
Hasan and Arafat then transformed the innings with a 78-run sixth-wicket stand, providing the platform for a strong finish. Hasan reached his fifty from 46 balls, combining five fours with four sixes, while Arafat brought up his fifty from 54 deliveries.
Hasan was bowled by Jamie Overton for 79, but Arafat continued to attack before falling to Baker for 59 in the 48th over.
Faheem added further momentum with an explosive 39 from just 26 balls, striking five fours and one six. His innings ended when he was caught by Jacks off Sam Curran, with Pakistan at 285-8.
As many as 52 runs came in the final five overs which boosted the total.
Baker took 3-65 while Atkinson got 2-35. Overton was economical, finishing with 1-38.
Earlier Pakistan went unchanged while England got Adil Rashid’s boost who had missed the previous ODI series.