RAWALPINDI, MAY 30: Debutant Arafat Minhas bagged a five-wicket haul as Pakistan bowled out Australia for 200 in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi’s decision to field first paid dividends as the touring side could accumulate 200 before being bowled out in 44.1 overs despite half-centuries from Matthew Short and Matt Renshaw.
The visitors got off to a steady start to their innings as Short and Alex Carey (19) put together 34 runs for the first wicket until Abrar Ahmed gave Pakistan the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing the latter in the seventh over.
Short was then joined by captain Josh Inglis in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously amid their 28-run partnership for the second wicket.
Debutant Minhas broke the budding partnership in the 14th over by dismissing Inglis, who could muster 13 off 22 deliveries.
Minhas struck again in the same over, trapping Marnus Labuschagne for a duck, while cleaning up Cameron Green in his next over, to reduce Australia to 68/4.
Following the flurry of wickets, Short joined forces with Renshaw, and the duo attempted to anchor the innings by knitting a 55-run partnership for the fifth wicket, during which the opener brought up his fourth ODI half-century.
Short, however, failed to convert his half-century into a big knock as he too fell victim to Minhas in the 27th over, and walked back after scoring 55 off 76 deliveries with the help of six fours.
Renshaw then took the reins of Australia’s batting charge and shared important partnerships with Oliver Peake (seven) and Matthew Kuhnemann (24) until eventually falling victim to Abrar in the 39th over.
The middle-order batter remained the top-scorer for Australia with 61 off 63 deliveries, comprising five fours and a six.
His dismissal exposed Australia’s toothless batting tail, which was effortlessly swept away by Pakistan pacers, captain Shaheen and Haris Rauf.
Minhas spearheaded Pakistan’s bowling charge with sensational figures of 5/32 in his 10 overs, followed by Abrar with two, while Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen and Haris chipped in with one apiece.
