Assalam-o-Alaikum, my dear readers. How are you all?
Last night, my whole street was awake. I am not joking. Every house in my mohalla had the TV on, the volume full. And when the last English wicket fell, people started shouting from their rooftops. Even the bijli behaved itself last night – no load-shedding at the best moment. Alhamdulillah.
Pakistan vs England. Pakistan won. By 87 runs. In Rawalpindi. And a 21-year-old boy did almost everything himself.
What Happened Last Night in Rawalpindi
It was an ODI match at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. Pakistan batted first and made 302 runs for 9 wickets. That is a big total. England tried hard, but they could not reach it. So Pakistan won by 87 runs. The crowd went crazy.
This was not just any match. It is part of a tri-series with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England. And this win was Pakistan’s second win in the series. So things are looking good for our team.
59 Runs and 6 Wickets — One Boy Did Everything
His name is Arafat Minhas. Remember this name. He is only 21 years old.
First, he came to bat and scored 59 runs from just 58 balls. Quick runs. Brave shots. Then he took the ball and destroyed England’s batting. Six wickets for only 40 runs. Six! One boy, with bat and ball, won the match for Pakistan.
He was named Player of the Match. Of course he was. Who else could it be?
His wickets included big names — Harry Brook, Adil Rashid, Will Jacks, and Jamie Overton. These are not small players. And our young boy sent them all back to the pavilion. Startup Pakistan also reported that this was his second five-wicket haul in ODIs. Second! And he has played only five ODI matches in his life.
Even our captain Shaheen Afridi praised him after the match. When your captain smiles at you like that, you know you have done something special.
Only the Third Pakistani Ever
Now listen to this. What Arafat did last night is very, very rare.
He became only the third Pakistani man in history to score a fifty and take five wickets in the same ODI match. Only three. Ever. The other two? Shahid Afridi — who did it three times — and Abdul Razzaq, who did it once. That is the company this 21-year-old has joined.
In the whole history of men’s ODI cricket, this has happened only 25 times. Big names are on that list — Viv Richards, Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle, Shakib Al Hasan. And now, Arafat Minhas of Pakistan. The ICC confirmed all these details in their report on the match.
And here is the most beautiful part. This was only his 12th international match. Twelfth! Most players are still finding their feet at that stage. He is already making history.
Honestly? I Did Not Know His Name Yesterday
Let me be honest with you, my dear readers. Before last night’s Pakistan vs England game, I did not know much about Arafat Minhas. I am telling you the truth. There are so many young players now, and I had only heard his name once or twice.
Last night I was watching with my family. My nephew was jumping on the sofa every time a wicket fell. My chai went completely cold because I forgot to drink it. And by the end of the night, this boy had become my favourite player.
That is the beauty of cricket in Pakistan. One night can change everything. A boy from nowhere becomes a hero in every drawing room from Karachi to Khyber. Today, every child in every gali will try to copy his bowling action. I am sure of it.
Pakistan vs England — What This Win Means for the Tri-Series
Pakistan now has two wins in this tri-series. The team is playing with confidence. If you want to know the full schedule of the series, I already wrote about it here: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka and England ODI tri-series schedule.
Remember, our team also played Sri Lanka in this series — and wore those beautiful pink jerseys for a special reason. This series keeps giving us stories.
Many fans are also searching for the points table and standings of the series. That is natural. When your team wins like this, you want to know where they stand. And I will keep you updated as the series goes on.
If Your Child Plays Gali Cricket, Read This
Now a small personal request from me. If your son or daughter plays cricket in the street with a tennis ball, support them. Seriously.
Arafat Minhas was also a street kid once. Nobody is born a star. Buy them a proper bat if you can. Let them join a local club. And never laugh when they say they want to play for Pakistan. Every big player started with that same dream.
And to the young ones reading this — practice both batting and bowling. Be an all-rounder. Teams love players who can do two jobs. Arafat proved it last night.
What a night. What a boy. And what a win! Pakistan Zindabad.
Finally, take care, my dear readers. If you have any questions about this match, please visit our Contact Us page and ask me anything. I would love to hear from you.
