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England collapse to heavy defeat against Pakistan in nightmare start to tri-series
Pakistan picked up a dominant win over England (Getty)

A masterful all-round performance from Arafat Minhas condemned England to an 87-run defeat against Pakistan in Rawalpindi as Harry Brook’s side siffered a disappointing start to their winter one-day international tri-series.

Pakistan, fresh from defeating Sri Lanka at the weekend, were stuttering at 133 for five before being rescued by Arafat’s 59 and a vibrant 79 from Hasan Nawaz, who struck five boundaries and four big sixes.

England delivered a solid bowling display, yet mistakes in the field allowed Pakistan to reach 302 for nine, before Ben Duckett and Tom Banton replied with a fluent 91-run opening stand together.

However, Arafat altered the course of the match by removing the dangerous Banton, before the 21-year-old spinner bowled Brook in only his fifth ODI and then tore through England’s middle and lower order.

Arafat finished with career-best figures of six for 40 and executed the run out that sealed Pakistan’s victory. England suffered a collapse from 197 for five to 214 all out in 38.4 overs – well before dew became a factor after Brook chose to field on winning the toss.

Arafat Minhas starred with bat and ball (Getty)
Arafat Minhas starred with bat and ball (Getty)

Gus Atkinson made an immediate impact by striking with the very first ball, extending Pakistan’s sequence of first-ball dismissals from last month’s 3-0 Test defeat to England, as Fakhar Zaman clipped a delivery to Joe Root.

That early blow restricted Pakistan’s top order to a sluggish 81 for four by the 19th over. Babar Azam was bowled through the gate by Will Jacks, while both Saim Ayub and Sunday’s centurion against Sri Lanka, Salman Agha, surrendered their wickets attempting unnecessary cross-batted strokes.

Nawaz launched his very first ball for six — one of three maximums conceded by returning spinner Adil Rashid — but was reprieved on 30 when Atkinson dropped a running opportunity in the deep.

Atkinson made amends by removing Saad Baig to break a 52-run partnership with Nawaz, who capitalised on his stroke of luck alongside Minhas. Jamie Overton bowled superbly, conceding 38 runs off 10 quick overs before producing a brilliant yorker to bowl Nawaz with ten overs remaining.

England fell apart after a strong opening partnership between Tom Banton and Ben Duckett (Getty)
England fell apart after a strong opening partnership between Tom Banton and Ben Duckett (Getty)

Nawaz’s hit provided the platform for Pakistan to plunder 91 runs from the final ten overs. Jordan Cox, standing in behind the stumps for Jos Buttler, missed two difficult chances to dismiss Arafat before he was caught off Sonny Baker, who ended with three for 65.

England’s openers initially showed patience against Pakistan’s dangerous pace attack, though Banton attacked Naseem Shah’s short bowling, pulling him twice for six in a lively stand with Duckett, who was eventually bounced out by Haris Rauf for 45.

Banton completed his third consecutive half-century before falling for 57 when he pulled a short delivery from Minhas straight to midwicket. The slow left-armer then turned one off the surface to hit Brook’s off-stump — a superb delivery to remove a batsman who boasts an impressive average of 70 in Pakistan.

Root and Sam Curran steadied the innings against the spin bowlers before falling to returning pacemen.

Naseem breached the defence of Root, who played on to a low-bounding delivery for 33, while Curran lacked conviction when pulling Rauf as the ball held in the surface, looping a catch to depart for 27.

England failed to get back on track after Joe Root's dismissal (Getty)
England failed to get back on track after Joe Root's dismissal (Getty)

England’s remaining hopes rested on Cox and Jacks in the first of at least 10 away ODIs this winter, as the team begins preparations for the upcoming 50-over World Cup taking place in southern Africa in 12 months’ time.

However, when Cox was struck on the inner edge and given out lbw to Arafat, England’s run chase quickly fell apart completely.

Overton and Jacks offered simple catches to give Arafat his five-wicket haul, before Rashid was trapped leg-before for his sixth.

A chaotic finish concluded when Atkinson was run out after both he and Sonny Baker ended up at the non-striker’s end, with Arafat gathering the ball following a misfield to break the stumps.

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