Pakistan opened their ODI series with a five-wicket victory over Australia at Rawalpindi on Saturday, May 30, sealing the win in the first match of three. Arafat Minhas made an immediate impact on debut, taking 5/32 to restrict Australia to 200 all out, and then the chase was steered by fifties from Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori as Pakistan reached 202/5 with 7.3 overs remaining.
Key takeaways
- Arafat Minhas marked his ODI debut with a five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5/32.
- Australia were dismissed for 200 all out, with Pakistan striking early after choosing to bowl first.
- Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori put together a 127-run partnership that effectively decided the contest.
- Pakistan chased down 202/5 in 42.3 overs, winning by five wickets and finishing with 7.3 overs to spare.
- Nathan Ellis ended the main partnership by removing Babar, while Minhas also delivered the final flourish with a six.
Minhas’ debut burst sets the tone at Rawalpindi
Winning the toss, Pakistan elected to field first and went to spin early, introducing their bowlers as soon as the seventh over. The move paid off immediately when Abrar Ahmed created an outside-edge opportunity that Alex Carey couldn’t convert, handing Pakistan their first breakthrough. Although Australia managed a fairly steady start during the Powerplay, reaching 51/1, their momentum did not last.
Minhas then turned the game with a rapid run of wickets. He trapped Josh Inglis and Marnus Labuschagne LBW in consecutive bursts, taking both batters within three deliveries. Minhas returned in his next over to remove Cameron Green, and Australia’s score slipped from 62/1 to 68/4, leaving them in a difficult position.
Australia fight back, then collapse late
Despite the early damage, Matthew Short and Matt Renshaw steadied the innings with a recovery effort. They built a 55-run stand while carefully negotiating Pakistan’s spinners, and Short reached his half-century in the 23rd over. He looked set to push for a bigger score, but Minhas struck again four overs later when Short was dismissed via a stumping.
Renshaw continued to battle and brought up his own fifty. He added runs alongside Oliver Peake, contributing a 22-run partnership, and then extended the recovery further with Matthew Kuhnemann, adding another 34. However, Australia’s hopes of posting a more competitive total took a serious hit in the 39th over when Renshaw was removed by a skidding delivery from Abrar Ahmed.
From that moment, Australia managed only 21 more runs for their last three wickets. They were eventually bowled out in the 45th over, unable to add enough late runs to turn the chase into a tougher task for Pakistan.
One of the final three wickets also went to Minhas, who became the first Pakistan bowler to take five wickets on ODI debut. Earlier, Pakistan had also found success with their use of spin in the early stages—Kuhnemann dismissed Maaz Sadaqat with his second delivery in the sixth over, and Tanveer Sangha removed Sahibzada Farhan in the 13th over. That left Pakistan at 49/2 and offered Australia a possible pathway back into the game.
Babar and Ghori control the chase
Australia’s opening looked threatened once Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori settled in. The pair combined to forge a match-defining 127-run partnership, gradually reducing the pressure despite Australia continuing to probe for openings with their bowling. The pitch still offered occasional assistance to the spinners, but clear chances remained limited.
The only standout moment in Pakistan’s chase came in the 33rd over when Babar was put down. Instead of allowing that reprieve to change their approach, Babar and Ghori stayed patient, moving steadily toward the target while bringing up their individual half-centuries.
Nathan Ellis finally broke the partnership when an off-cutter kept low and beat Babar’s bat, bowling him. Ellis then struck again in the next over, trapping Ghori LBW. By that stage, though, Pakistan’s win was already close to inevitable.
After delivering the key impact with the ball, Minhas capped a memorable debut by finishing the chase with a six. Pakistan reached 202/5 in 42.3 overs to complete the five-wicket win, with 7.3 overs still left in the innings.
Brief scores
Australia: 200 all out in 44.1 overs (Matt Renshaw 61, Matt Short 55; Arafat Minhas 5/32, Abrar Ahmed 2/44). Pakistan: 202/5 in 42.3 overs (Babar Azam 69, Ghazi Ghori 65; Nathan Ellis 2-45) — Pakistan won by 5 wickets.
