RAWALPINDI: Arafat Minhas has become the first Pakistani bowler to take five wickets on a debut against Australia, achieving the feat in Rawalpindi on Saturday, ARY News reported.
Minhas achieved the milestone during the first match of the One Day International (ODI) series against the Aussies. He dismantled the Australian batting lineup, picking up five wickets for just 32 runs in his 10-over spell.
Of his five Australian scalps, Josh Inglis was the first to go, trapped leg-before-wicket (LBW) after scoring 13 runs. In the very same over, Minhas struck again, dismissing Marnus Labuschagne for a duck, once more via LBW.
Later, in the 15th over, he clean-bowled Cameron Green for another duck. Matthew Short was his next victim, dismissed stumped, before Minhas etched his name into the history books by removing Nathan Ellis for 8 runs to complete his five-wicket haul.
Australia has set Pakistan a target of 201 runs to win.
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.
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.