England endured a dismal start to their winter campaign after slumping to an 87-run defeat against Pakistan in the opening match of the one-day international tri-series at Rawalpindi. Opting to bat first, Pakistan posted a competitive total of 302-9 from their allotted 50 overs before left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas dismantled the touring batting lineup with a devastating six-wicket haul. The hosts capitalized on multiple fielding lapses from the visitors to secure their second consecutive victory of the tournament and edge closer to the final.
- Pakistan posted 302-9 in 50 overs, anchored by Hasan Nawaz’s fluent 79 and Arafat Minhas’s crucial 59.
- Arafat starred with the ball, recording brilliant figures of 6-40 with his left-arm spin.
- Tom Banton top-scored for England with 57 off 53 balls, while Ben Duckett contributed 45 at the top of the order.
- England suffered a dramatic batting collapse, losing their final seven wickets for just 50 runs to be bowled out for 215 in 38.4 overs.
Match Situation And Turning Points
Pakistan found themselves in a spot of bother at 190-5 in the 37th over before England’s sloppy fielding proved costly. Wicketkeeper Jordan Cox dropped Arafat Minhas when the all-rounder was on just 12, part of a sloppy fielding display that featured three dropped catches. Capitalizing on the reprieve, Arafat forged a match-shaping partnership alongside Hasan Nawaz, whose powerful 79 off 74 deliveries steered the total past the 300-run mark. Chasing a target of 303, England made an aggressive start and reached 91-0 before unravelling completely. Ben Duckett fell pulling a short delivery, and Tom Banton gifted his wicket by holing out to mid-wicket off Arafat. The spinner then clean-bowled England captain Harry Brook for five, while Naseem Shah removed Joe Root for 33 to trigger a lower-order slide.
Looking Ahead In The Tri-Series
With two wins from two matches, Pakistan sit comfortably at the top of the standings and are virtually assured of a place in the tri-series final. Meanwhile, England must quickly regroup ahead of their next fixture against Sri Lanka at the same venue on Thursday. Both England and Sri Lanka will be desperate to rectify their mistakes and secure their first win of the campaign to keep their tournament hopes alive.
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