Pakistan opened their home ODI series against Australia with a comprehensive 5-wicket victory at Rawalpindi, dismissing the visitors for just 200 in 44.1 overs before chasing the target with 45 balls to spare. Arafat Minhas was the star of the show in every sense — his devastating 5/32 with the ball completely undermined Australia's middle and lower order, and he then contributed an unbeaten 18 off 17 with the bat to help seal the win. Babar Azam's patient 50 off 71 balls and Ghazi Ghori's composed 50 off 77 balls provided the backbone of a disciplined Pakistan chase that confirmed their superiority on home soil.

Australia Innings: Minhas Tears Through the Order

Australia's innings was a story of steady accumulation undone by a catastrophic death-over collapse. The powerplay produced 51/1 — reasonable progress despite losing an early wicket — with a Pakistan DRS bowling review in over 3.4 for Matthew Short's wicket struck down, keeping their most dangerous batter in the middle. However, wickets continued to fall through the middle overs, and at drinks Australia were in trouble at 68/4 in 15.2 overs — four top-order batters dismissed and the innings needing a significant rescue operation.

Short provided that rescue with an innings of real grit and application, eventually bringing up his fifty off 66 balls — 6 fours — in a knock that temporarily steadied the ship. A fifth-wicket partnership of 50 in 63 balls between Short and Matt Renshaw gave Australia their longest sustained passage of play, the two batters accumulating carefully and taking the score past 150 in 32.3 overs.

Renshaw brought up his own fifty off 52 balls — 4 fours and 1 six — as Australia pushed past 150 at drinks with the score at 153/6 in 34 overs. A Pakistan DRS bowling review for Kuhnemann's wicket in over 37.5 was struck down as Australia tried to push on in the third powerplay. But the final powerplay was an absolute disaster — just 7 runs scored for the loss of 3 wickets in overs 40 to 44, as Minhas and the Pakistan attack bowled with unrelenting accuracy and hostility. Australia were bowled out for exactly 200 in 44.1 overs — Billy Stanlake the last man out without facing a ball. The third powerplay yielding just 7 runs told a brutal story about the quality of Pakistan's bowling in the crucial death overs.

Arafat Minhas' 5/32 was a match-winning spell of the highest order — pace, swing and clever variations combining to dismantle an Australian batting lineup that had threatened to post a much larger total.

Pakistan Chase: Babar and Ghori Build a Winning Platform

Pakistan's chase was measured, disciplined and ultimately convincing. The powerplay produced 41/1 — cautious by Pakistan's standards but entirely appropriate given the match situation — and Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori settled in for the long chase together at drinks in 18 overs at 76/2.

The third-wicket partnership between Babar and Ghori was the centrepiece of Pakistan's innings — 50 runs in 63 balls and eventually 100 in 134 balls — a stand of real quality and patience that steadily accumulated the required runs without ever putting Pakistan's wickets at unnecessary risk. Babar brought up his fifty off 71 balls — 3 fours — a characteristically composed and authoritative knock that confirmed his status as Pakistan's most reliable ODI batter. Two Australian DRS bowling reviews — both for Babar's wicket, in overs 27.1 and 31.4 — were struck down, one on umpire's call, denying the visitors any chance of the breakthrough that might have changed the chase's dynamic.

Ghori brought up his own fifty off 77 balls — 7 fours — a patient and valuable innings that showed real maturity and temperament at the highest level. Pakistan crossed 150 in 34.5 overs and 200 in 42.3 overs, sealing the win at 202/5 with 45 balls remaining. A Pakistan DRS batting review for Ghori's wicket in the third powerplay was struck down, but it ultimately did not affect the result as the chase was completed comfortably.

Arafat Minhas was named Player of the Match for his exceptional all-round contribution — 5/32 with the ball and 18* off 17 with the bat — a performance that announced him as one of Pakistan's most exciting young match-winners in both departments.

Key Moments

  • Australia's disastrous third powerplay of just 7/3 was the defining collapse of their innings — from a potentially competitive total to 200 all out.
  • Arafat Minhas' 5/32 was the bowling performance of the match — his best ODI figures and a spell that changed the game completely.
  • Short's 50 off 66 and Renshaw's 50 off 52 were the only consistent batting contributions in a disappointing Australian display.
  • Babar Azam surviving two Australian DRS reviews — one on umpire's call — proved the turning point of the chase.
  • The Babar-Ghori 100-run third-wicket stand in 134 balls was the partnership that made the chase safe and controlled.
  • Pakistan winning with 45 balls to spare underlined the comprehensive nature of their home advantage.

Pakistan take a 1-0 lead in the ODI series with this convincing performance. Australia will need to reassess their batting approach — particularly in the death overs — if they are to level the series in the second match.