Rawalpindi, May 30, 2026: Debutant Arafat Minhas produced a dream start to his ODI career, claiming a remarkable five-wicket haul to help Pakistan dismiss Australia for 200 in the opening match of the three-match ODI series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi’s decision to field first proved effective as the visitors were bowled out for a below-par total in 44.1 overs despite fighting half-centuries from Matthew Short and Matt Renshaw.
Australia made a steady start, with Short and Alex Carey adding 34 runs for the opening wicket before spinner Abrar Ahmed provided the breakthrough by dismissing Carey for 19 in the seventh over.
Short then partnered Australian captain Josh Inglis in a cautious 28-run stand for the second wicket. However, Minhas changed the course of the innings with a sensational spell.
The left-arm spinner struck twice in the 14th over, removing Inglis for 13 and trapping Marnus Labuschagne leg-before wicket for a duck. He followed it up by dismissing Cameron Green in his next over, reducing Australia to 68/4.
With the visitors under pressure, Short and Renshaw attempted to rebuild the innings through a 55-run partnership for the fifth wicket. During the stand, Short completed his fourth ODI half-century.
The Australian opener’s resistance ended in the 27th over when he became Minhas’ fourth victim after scoring 55 off 76 balls, including six boundaries.
Renshaw then took responsibility for the innings, forging useful partnerships with Oliver Peake and Matthew Kuhnemann. He brought up a well-crafted half-century and looked set for a bigger score before Abrar Ahmed struck again.
Renshaw top-scored for Australia with 61 runs from 63 deliveries, hitting five fours and one six before falling in the 39th over.
His dismissal exposed Australia’s lower order, which offered little resistance as Pakistan’s pace attack wrapped up the innings. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf shared the remaining wickets to complete the job.
Minhas finished with outstanding figures of 5 for 32 in his full quota of 10 overs, becoming the standout performer of the innings. Abrar Ahmed supported him with two wickets, while Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf claimed one wicket each.
Pakistan now require 201 runs for victory to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
