Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Josh Inglis suffered defeat in his first game as new Australia captain as Pakistan’s teenage debutant Arafat Minhas bagged a stunning five-wicket haul and then smashed the winning runs with a six to secure a comprehensive victory in Rawalpindi.
Inglis, handed the task to lead the side with Mitch Marsh ruled out with an ankle injury, saw his side struggle to handle Minhas’ tricky left-arm variation as the 19-year-old plundered 5-32 to put the visitors on the backfoot.
Australia’ own teen debutant, Ollie Peake, who became the tourists’ youngest ever specialist ODI batter at 19, could only make seven as his side struggled to post 200 in the opening match of the three-game series.
And Pakistan always looked comfortable overhauling their target thanks to a solid century partnership between Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori with Minhas capping a brilliant performance by striking a towering six to seal the five-wicket victory with 45 balls remaining.
All-rounder Minhas, while playing in his first international ODI, is no complete rookie at this level, having made his T20 debut in 2023, scoring 60 runs and claiming four wickets in four matches in the shorter format,
But he looked the real deal as Australia struggled to live with his canny line and flight as he became the first Pakistan player to bank a five-for on his ODI debut.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, opted to field first, but watched Australia get into an early groove as openers Matt Short and Alex Carey put on 32 in six overs, the latter thrashing two sublime boundaries in the same over off Haris Rauf as he raced to 19 off 24 balls.
But the promising partnership was abruptly ended following the first bowling change when leg spinner Abrar Ahmed forced Carey to clip to Salman Agha, who snatched a smart, low catch at slip.
Skipper Inglis was next in and survived an early stumping review as he battled to maintain the momentum. But the 31-year-old was soon out after attempting an audacious reverse-sweep and on review was adjudged plum lbw to become Minus’ first ODI victim
Minhas’ dream debut continued when he dismissed both Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green without scoring, the former stranded lbw on the back foot playing an unconvincing backward defensive shot.
Green quickly followed him when left bamboozled trying to track another hard-to-read Minhas delivery, the ball knocking out his off stump.
Short helped the tourists bring up their 100 in the 21st over with 55 off 77 balls, before he too succumbed to another Minhas delivery.
The 30-year-old all-rounder came down the wicket trying to assert his authority but missed the line and wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori whipped off his bails to end a promising partnership of 55 off 66 balls with Matt Renshhaw.
Peake, the 19-year-old from Geelong, who played a key role in Australia’s U19 World Cup win in 2024 when just 17, then departed cheaply on his first senior start, as he thick-edged Salman Ali Agha to Ghori.
Renshaw kept the scoreboard ticking at nearly a run a ball, before being bowled by Abrar trying to tee up a back-foot slash, ending with 61 off 63 balls.
While Tanveer Sangha fell without scoring, Matt Kuhnemann contributed a useful 24 off 40 balls as Australia set a target of 201 to win.
Pakistan, playing in their 1000th ODI, were given a decent start as Sahibzada Farhan made 28 before falling to Australia spinner Sangha, Adam Zampa having been a late withdrawal with a neck spasm.
Kuhnemann bowled well but re-called Billy Stanlake, playing his first international game for seven years, was unable to make inroads to the Pakistan line-up in his eighth ODI as Azam (69) chalked up a 38th ODI half century, and Ghori (65) his first, as their 127-run stand helped Pakistan cruise towards their target.
And it was fitting that the winning runs came from teenage star Minhas, who sealed the game with a beautifully struck straight six against off Labuschagne in an unbeaten 18 off 17 balls as Pakistan reached 5-202.
