Pakistan marked their 1,000th ODI with a victory that will be remembered for years — After a excellent debut in the PAK vs AUS 1st ODI where he bowled like a professional, all eyes are on 21-year-old Arafat Minhas for tomorrow’s match against Australia.
ESPNcricinfo’s match report confirmed the final result: Pakistan 202/5 (Babar 69, Ghori 65, Ellis 2-45) beat Australia 200 (Renshaw 61, Short 55, Minhas 5-32, Abrar 2-44) by five wickets. Arafat Minhas became the first Pakistan bowler to take a five-wicket haul on ODI debut. Pakistan chased down the target in 42.3 overs at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Arafat Minhas: A Debut to Remember
The numbers alone — 5 for 32 from ten overs — tell only half the story. Minhas did not look like a debutant. He looked like someone who had been doing this for a decade.
Outlook India’s match highlights described his performance as sensational — orchestrating Pakistan’s comprehensive victory with guile, variation, and wicket-to-wicket accuracy on a pitch offering plenty for the spinners.
The 21-year-old left-arm fingerspinner settled into his groove quickly, picking up wickets at regular intervals. He deceived batters with his variations, led the bowling attack brilliantly, and was captain Shaheen Afridi’s go-to option whenever a breakthrough was needed.
In his Player of the Match speech, Minhas was calm: “There is indeed pressure, but I had confidence from the PSL. I like to enjoy that pressure environment. Basics are very important regardless of the conditions.”
On his father watching from the sidelines: “He must be feeling very proud, as it was his dream to see me play for Pakistan.”
Australia’s Innings: Short and Renshaw Fight but Fall Short
Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and chose to bowl in sweltering conditions — a decision vindicated within the first ten overs.
Australia’s top order collapsed early. Matthew Short (55) and Matt Renshaw (61) stabilized with half-centuries, but nobody else contributed meaningfully. As ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary tracked in real time, the moment Afridi brought Minhas back, the game turned. A delivery with extra pace and turn beat Short as he charged, giving Ghazi Ghori time behind the stumps to complete the dismissal.
Abrar Ahmed finished with 2/44 from his 10 overs, including a sharp legbreak that crashed into Renshaw’s off stump. Shadab Khan, playing his first ODI since the 2023 World Cup, never found his rhythm — conceding 54 from eight overs without a wicket.
Pakistan’s Chase: Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori Take Charge
The chase brought another youngster into the spotlight. Ghazi Ghori, the wicketkeeper-batter, stitched a 127-run stand with Babar Azam that broke Australia’s back.
Babar Azam (69 off 94 balls) was the experienced anchor — trading his natural attacking instincts for composure on a deteriorating pitch. Ghori (65 off 92 balls) supported him with maturity beyond his experience, making his maiden ODI half-century in only his second appearance. It was also his highest List A score.
They shifted gears toward the end — Ghori launching Ellis down the ground, Babar smashing the first six of the match off Renshaw before hitting a glorious inside-out drive off Labuschagne.
After both set batters fell, debutant Arafat Minhas sealed the deal with a towering six down the ground — finishing on 18 not out off 17 balls and capping a Player of the Match performance with the bat as well.
Full Scorecard: PAK vs AUS 1st ODI
Australia Innings: 200 all out (49.3 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Key Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Renshaw | 61 | b Abrar Ahmed |
| Matthew Short | 55 | st Ghori b Minhas |
| Matt Kuhnemann | 24 | Last man out |
Top Bowlers (Pakistan):
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arafat Minhas | 10 | 32 | 5 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 10 | 44 | 2 |
| Shaheen Afridi | — | — | 1 |
| Haris Rauf | — | — | 1 |
| Shadab Khan | 8 | 54 | 0 |
Pakistan Innings: 202/5 (42.3 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | 69 | 94 |
| Ghazi Ghori | 65 | 92 |
| Sahibzada Farhan | 28 | — |
| Arafat Minhas | 18* | 17 |
Captain Shaheen Afridi Reacts
Shaheen was beaming in the post-match press conference: “Our plan was to bowl first. The ball comes nicely onto the bat and we knew there would be a lot of assistance for the spinners, and the spinners delivered.”
On the debutant: “I am very happy for Arafat Minhas. I saw his father was so elated for him; it made me remember my own debut.”
On the future: “Ghazi Ghori did well against Bangladesh and now this. The future of Pakistan looks bright.”
What This Means for the Series
Pakistan lead the 3-match series 1-0. The ESPNcricinfo series schedule confirms the second ODI moves to Lahore on Tuesday, June 2, followed by the third ODI — also in Lahore — on Thursday, June 4.
Australia’s stand-in captain Josh Inglis acknowledged the challenge: “I thought we made them work really hard to get over the line. I think 30 or 40 more runs would have made things really interesting.”
For Pakistani fans, this 1,000th ODI victory was the perfect way to celebrate a historic milestone. With young talent like Arafat Minhas and Ghazi Ghori stepping up alongside veterans like Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan’s ODI future looks stronger than it has in years.
24PakTimes will bring you full coverage of the 2nd ODI in Lahore on June 2.
