Cricket history was made in Rawalpindi on Saturday, where 21-year-old left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas delivered a fairy-tale debut performance to power Pakistan to a five-wicket victory over an under-strength Australia in the opening match of their three-match ODI series. Minhas’ historic five-wicket haul made him the first Pakistani bowler ever to claim five wickets on ODI debut, finishing with sensational figures of 5 for 32 that dismantled Australia’s batting lineup on a spin-friendly dry pitch.
Australia entered the match already depleted by the absence of three of its top fast bowlers — Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc — who all skipped the series to compete in the Indian Premier League and manage pre-existing workloads. Their bowling unit was further weakened hours before the first ball when frontline spinner Adam Zampa was ruled out with sudden neck spasms. Despite the setbacks, Australia won no sympathy from Pakistan’s spin attack, bundled out for just 200 all out in 44.1 overs.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi read the pitch and sweltering match conditions perfectly after winning the toss, handing Minhas the opportunity to exploit the turning surface. The young spinner did not waste his chance, ripping through Australia’s top order by claiming three wickets in just six overs. He trapped both captain Cameron Inglis and star all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne leg before wicket, before producing a magical delivery that spun away from right-hander Cameron Green to clip the top of his off stump. By the 16th over, Australia was reeling at 68 for 4. Opener Matthew Renshaw top-scored for the side with 61 runs, while Matthew Short added 55, but no other batter could build a substantial innings to lift the team to a competitive total. Abrar Ahmed chipped in with two wickets, and Salman Ali Agha took one to support Minhas’ match-winning spell.
In response, Pakistan’s chase was anchored by a game-changing 127-run partnership between former captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Ghazi Ghori. Babar, recalled to the side after missing Pakistan’s March series against Bangladesh, scored a solid 69 off 94 deliveries, while Ghori notched his maiden ODI half-century with an unbeaten 65. The pair played with patience and discipline against Australia’s spin pairing of Matthew Kuhnemann and Tanveer Sangha, refusing to go for risky extravagant shots that would have derailed their chase. After Kuhnemann dropped Babar shortly after he brought up his half-century, Nathan Ellis eventually clean-bowled the experienced batter, and trapped Ghori leg before wicket soon after — but by that point, Pakistan was on the brink of victory.
It fell to debutant Minhas to seal the win, and he did so in style: hitting a straight six off Labuschagne to reach the target, finishing the match unbeaten on 18 off 17 balls. Pakistan crossed the line at 202 for 5 in 42.3 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The match also marked a milestone for Pakistani cricket, as it saw Pakistan become only the third nation in international cricket history to play 1,000 ODI matches, following India (1,075) and Australia (1,020).
Speaking after the match, Minhas acknowledged the weight of expectation on his debut but said he thrives under pressure. “There was indeed pressure, but I like to enjoy that pressure environment and my focus was on enjoying this opportunity,” he said.
Captain Afridi praised his young team members, highlighting their performance as a sign of a promising future for Pakistani cricket. “We knew there would be a lot of assistance for the spinners and the spinners delivered. I am very happy for Arafat Minhas. … Ghori is a great player against both spin and pace, so the future of Pakistan looks bright,” Afridi said.
The series will now move to Lahore for the remaining two matches, scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.