Pakistan Beat Australia in 1,000th ODI as Minhas Makes History
Pakistan marked their 1,000th one-day international with a five-wicket win over Australia at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday night, turning a historic fixture into a memorable result for home supporters. The opening ODI of the series was shaped by spin, composure and a breakthrough performance from debutant Arafat Minhas.
Australia, missing several frontline players, were bowled out for 200 in 44.1 overs after Pakistan’s slow bowlers made full use of a dry surface. Minhas delivered the defining spell of the innings, taking five wickets for 32 runs and becoming the first Pakistan bowler to claim a five-wicket haul on ODI debut at home.
Pakistan’s chase was not without early pressure, as Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat were dismissed with the total on 49. Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori then stabilised the innings with a decisive third-wicket stand, guiding Pakistan away from trouble and putting the target firmly within reach.
Babar scored 69 from 94 balls, while Ghori contributed 65 from 92 deliveries in a partnership worth 127 runs. Both batters fell to Nathan Ellis late in the chase, but by then Pakistan needed only a small number of runs, and the home side completed the target in 42.3 overs.
The strongest reaction came through the record book, where Minhas’ debut instantly earned national attention. His performance stood out not only because of the figures but also because it came in a landmark ODI for Pakistan, giving the team a symbolic win in front of a home crowd.
Australia had started with some resistance through Matthew Short and Matthew Renshaw, who both scored half-centuries. Renshaw made 61 and Short added 55, but their efforts could not prevent the innings from losing direction once Pakistan’s spinners began striking regularly through the middle overs.
Minhas caused the major damage by removing key Australian batters in quick succession. Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green were all dismissed during the spell that shifted control of the match, before Short and later Nathan Ellis also fell to the debutant spinner.
Abrar Ahmed supported the pressure with two wickets of his own, including the important breakthroughs of Alex Carey and Renshaw. With eight Australian wickets falling to spin, the match underlined how strongly Pakistan adapted to local conditions and used the Rawalpindi pitch to their advantage.
The win carries extra importance for Pakistan cricket because it came in the country’s 1,000th ODI, a milestone that reflects decades of international one-day history. For fans, the result combined nostalgia with optimism, especially as a young spinner announced himself on a major stage.
Pakistan will now look to build on the opening victory when the remaining two ODIs are played in Lahore on Tuesday and Thursday. Australia will need to respond quickly, while Pakistan’s immediate focus will be on maintaining momentum, protecting the series lead and assessing how Minhas fits into future white-ball plans.