Pakistan defeated England by 87 runs in the ODI tri-series in Rawalpindi on October 20, 2026, thanks to a sensational all-round performance from Arafat Minhas. After scoring 302 for 9, Pakistan bowled England out for 215 to register their second consecutive victory in the tournament.
Minhas played a crucial role in both innings, scoring 59 off 58 balls before claiming career-best figures of 6 for 40. Hasan Nawaz also made a valuable contribution with 79 runs, helping Pakistan recover from a difficult position and post a competitive total. The result strengthened Pakistan’s position in the ODI tri-series.
England captain Harry Brook had opted to bowl first, hoping that dew would give his side an advantage during the chase. However, Pakistan recovered from an early collapse, while Minhas delivered a match-winning performance that left England struggling to keep up with the required run rate.
Pakistan endured a difficult start after Fakhar Zaman fell on the first delivery of the innings, edging Gus Atkinson to Joe Root at midwicket. Saim Ayub soon followed, dismissed by Sonny Baker after struggling against the short ball.
Babar Azam attempted to stabilise the innings but struggled to score freely against Will Jacks. He eventually lost his off stump for 34, and when Salman Ali Agha departed for 16, Pakistan were reduced to 81 for 4 in the 19th over.
Hasan Nawaz and Minhas then combined to rebuild the innings. Their fifth-wicket partnership of 78 runs gave Pakistan a much-needed platform, with Nawaz playing aggressively and Minhas initially focusing on building his innings.
Nawaz reached his half-century from 46 deliveries and continued to find boundaries against England’s bowlers. He struck four of Pakistan’s five sixes before being bowled by Jamie Overton with a fast yorker.
The right-handed batter scored 79 off 74 balls, providing the foundation for Pakistan to recover from their early setbacks. His innings was particularly important after England had appeared in control during the first half of the innings.
Minhas continued the recovery alongside Faheem Ashraf, adding 72 runs from just 49 deliveries. Ashraf contributed valuable boundaries towards the end, helping Pakistan maintain momentum despite losing wickets in the closing overs.
Minhas reached his half-century from 53 balls with a superb cover drive against Baker. He eventually fell for 59 off 58 deliveries, but his contribution had transformed Pakistan’s innings. Pakistan finished at 302 for 9 in 50 overs, setting England a target of 303. More Pakistan cricket coverage is available on CricTime.
England began their chase positively despite some early difficulties against Pakistan’s new-ball bowlers. Tom Banton and Ben Duckett put together an opening partnership of 91 runs inside the first 15 overs, giving the visitors a promising foundation.
Banton was particularly aggressive against Naseem Shah, striking two sixes in an over to help England move past 50. He scored 57 before miscuing a short delivery from Minhas to midwicket, providing Pakistan with a crucial breakthrough.
Duckett had earlier departed after being dismissed by Haris Rauf. Once Banton fell, Pakistan began to tighten their grip on the contest. Minhas dismissed Brook with a delivery that turned sharply past his defensive shot and hit the off stump.
Joe Root and Sam Curran attempted to stabilise the innings, but their dismissals left England needing 127 runs from the remaining 111 deliveries with their lower order exposed. Will Jacks and Jordan Cox briefly offered resistance, but Pakistan continued to take wickets at regular intervals.
Minhas produced a remarkable spell of left-arm spin to dismantle England’s batting lineup. After removing Banton and Brook, he continued to trouble the visitors with changes of pace, turn and accurate lines.
He dismissed Jordan Cox leg before wicket and removed Jamie Overton when the batter hit a delivery towards long-on. Jacks then picked out Shaheen Shah Afridi at midwicket, giving Minhas his fifth wicket of the innings.
Adil Rashid was trapped leg before wicket on the first ball he faced, leaving Minhas one wicket away from a hat-trick. Although he could not complete the hat-trick, he played a decisive role in England’s collapse.
The all-rounder finished with outstanding figures of 6 for 40, his best performance in ODI cricket. He also became only the third Pakistani player to score a half-century and take five or more wickets in the same ODI.
Minhas then completed the match with a run-out after a mix-up between Sonny Baker and Gus Atkinson. England were dismissed for 215 in 38.4 overs, giving Pakistan an emphatic 87-run victory.
The victory marked Pakistan’s second consecutive win in the Rawalpindi tri-series after their earlier success against Sri Lanka. Their performance against England demonstrated the value of contributions throughout the batting order and the effectiveness of their bowling attack.
Nawaz’s 79 provided the innings with stability, while Minhas delivered a match-winning performance with both bat and ball. Pakistan’s recovery from 81 for 4 highlighted their ability to respond under pressure, and their bowlers capitalised when England’s chase began to unravel.
For England, the defeat was a setback after an encouraging run of results leading into the match. Brook’s decision to bowl first did not produce the expected advantage, as missed opportunities in the field allowed Pakistan to build a challenging total.
England will need a more disciplined bowling performance and greater resilience in the middle order in their next fixture. Pakistan, meanwhile, will take considerable confidence from a convincing victory and Minhas’s emergence as a major contributor in the ODI format.
Arafat Minhas was the standout performer of the match, combining a valuable half-century with six wickets and a run-out to deliver a memorable all-round display. His performance helped Pakistan secure back-to-back victories and strengthened their position in the tri-series.
