Pakistan beat England by 87 runs – ODI Report
Pakistan won by 87 runs in the 17th match of 24 in the Tri-Nation Series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Arafat Minhas delivered a career-defining all-round performance – 59 off 58 with the bat and a devastating 6/40 from 8.4 overs with the ball – as Pakistan dominated England to move to 2-0 in the tournament. Pakistan now sit top of the Triangular Series (Pakistan) standings with 4 points from 2 wins, while England remain winless after their opening loss.
Pakistan’s Batting – Nawaz and Minhas Drive Momentum
England won the toss and elected to bowl, but Pakistan’s middle order seized control. Fakhar Zaman fell for a duck in the opening over, caught at 0/1, and Babar Azam was clean bowled by Gus Atkinson for 34 at 59/2 in the 14th over. But Saad Baig (35 off 54, 5 fours) steadied the ship with a 52-run stand alongside Salman Agha (16 off 19, 2 fours) before falling at 133/4.
Hasan Nawaz then took centre stage with a commanding 79 off 74 (5 fours, 4 sixes) at a strike rate of 107, building a 78-run partnership with Arafat Minhas to lift Pakistan from 133/4 to 211/6 by the 39th over. Minhas accelerated brilliantly in the death overs, striking 59 off 58 (9 fours) to push Pakistan past 300. Faheem Ashraf (39 off 26, 5 fours, 1 six) added late fireworks at a strike rate of 150, and Pakistan finished on 302/9 – a commanding total built on the back of Nawaz and Minhas’s partnership.
Gus Atkinson was England’s leading bowler with 2/35 from 7 overs, while Sonny Baker took 3/65 from 9 overs. Will Jacks chipped in with 1/45 from 10 overs.
England’s Chase Falls Short
England started positively through Tom Banton (57 off 53, 5 fours, 2 sixes) and Ben Duckett (45 off 46, 8 fours), who put on a 91-run stand for the second wicket at 14.3 overs. But the chase unravelled when Arafat Minhas took the ball. His spell was surgical – 6/40 from 8.4 overs at an economy of 4.62 – dismantling England’s middle order with precision. Joe Root (33 off 35, 2 fours) was clean bowled at 165/3, Harry Brook fell for 5 at 128/4, and Jordan Cox was LBW for 18 at 198/6. Sam Curran (27 off 39, 1 six) and Will Jacks (19 off 24, 1 four, 1 six) offered resistance but could not bridge the gap. England were bowled out for 215 in 38.4 overs, falling 87 runs short.
Haris Rauf took 2/32 from 6 overs, while Naseem Shah claimed 1/46 from 7 overs. Shaheen Afridi was economical with 0/36 from 7 overs.
Statz MVP: Arafat Minhas (Statz Rating: 202.79)
Arafat Minhas earns the Statz MVP award with a rating of 202.79 – a dominant all-round display that swung the match decisively in Pakistan’s favour. His 59 with the bat provided crucial middle-order momentum, but his 6/40 with the ball was the match-winning moment. Minhas dismantled England’s chase with control and precision, conceding just 4.62 runs per over while taking six wickets. The official Man of the Match award also went to Minhas.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Arafat Minhas (PAK) – Statz Rating: 202.79 | 59 off 58 (9 fours) plus 6/40 from 8.4 overs. Dominant all-round masterclass that won the match.
- Gus Atkinson (ENG) – Statz Rating: 83.03 | 2/35 from 7 overs with the ball plus 7 off 5 with the bat. Steady contributor in a losing effort.
- Will Jacks (ENG) – Statz Rating: 78.63 | 19 off 24 (1 four, 1 six) with the bat plus 1/45 from 10 overs. Useful all-round display in the middle order.
- Haris Rauf (PAK) – Statz Rating: 66.31 | 2/32 from 6 overs with the ball. Economical and effective in the death bowling phase.
- Sonny Baker (ENG) – Statz Rating: 65.92 | 3/65 from 9 overs with the ball. Took wickets but was expensive in Pakistan’s total.
Turning Point
The match turned decisively when Arafat Minhas took the ball in England’s chase. His opening spell was devastating – he removed Joe Root (clean bowled at 165/3 in the 28th over) and Harry Brook (clean bowled at 128/4 in the 20th over) in quick succession. By the time Jordan Cox fell LBW at 198/6 in the 34th over, England’s chase was effectively over. Minhas finished with 6/40, and Pakistan’s victory was never in doubt from that point.
Tournament Context
This was the 17th match of 24 in the Tri-Nation Series. Pakistan move to the top of the Triangular Series (Pakistan) standings with 4 points from 2 wins and a net run rate of 1.24. England remain winless after their opening loss, sitting third with 0 points and a net run rate of -1.74. See the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown, or explore bet builder options for this fixture.
