Arafat Minhas kept his plans simple and trusted his skills. The approach worked perfectly as the young Pakistan all-rounder helped his team beat England by 87 runs in the ODI tri-series in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old scored 59 runs and then took six wickets for 40 runs to earn the Player of the Match award. It was a remarkable performance in only his fifth ODI.
Minhas played a major role in Pakistan’s recovery with the bat before his left-arm spin destroyed England’s hopes of chasing 303.
Speaking after the match, Minhas said he had focused on bowling in the right areas and making the most of the conditions.
“I kept my plans very simple. In the first match, there wasn’t much help for the spinners, but I backed my plans. Today, the pitch was a little slow, so I think I targeted good areas and received some help, which benefited me,” he said.
However, keeping things simple did not mean bowling the same delivery every time. Minhas explained how changing his pace and using different types of deliveries helped him trouble the England batters.
“Variations are very important because if you keep bowling in one area, the spinner doesn’t get much advantage. But when you vary your pace and bowl both spin and the arm ball, it deceives the batsman,” he said.
His bowling caused serious problems for England, who had reached 165 for three before losing their remaining seven wickets for just 50 runs.
Minhas dismissed England captain Harry Brook for five with a turning delivery that hit the off stump. He also removed Tom Banton, who had scored 57, along with Jordan Cox, Jamie Overton, Will Jacks and Adil Rashid.
Earlier, Pakistan had found themselves in trouble at 81 for four after a poor start with the bat.
Hasan Nawaz led the recovery with 79 runs, while Minhas supported him with a patient 59 off 58 balls. Faheem Ashraf later added 39 as Pakistan finished on 302 for nine.
Minhas revealed that he and Nawaz had decided to build a long partnership to bring Pakistan back into the game.
“When I went in to bat, a very important partnership was needed. Hassan and I discussed taking this partnership deep. We aimed to add as many runs as possible,” he said.
He also explained how he changed his role after Nawaz’s dismissal.
“Hassan was batting well, maintaining his flow and intent, while I supported him. But when he got out, I took charge and tried to bat till the end. That benefited us, and we managed to score 300.”
England made a promising start to their chase, but Pakistan’s bowlers soon turned the match around.
Minhas completed his six-wicket haul before ending the contest with a direct hit to run out Gus Atkinson. England were bowled out for 215 in 38.4 overs.
For a player still finding his feet in international cricket, it was a performance to remember. Minhas showed that a clear plan, patience and smart variations can make a big difference at the highest level.
