Pakistan Beat England by 87 Runs in 2nd ODI: Arafat Minhas’ All-Round Show Seals Tri-Series Win

By:Amit Yadav Modified:

Pakistan made it two wins out of two in the ODI tri-series with a commanding 87-run victory over England in the second ODI at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 20, 2026. Defending 302/9, Pakistan bowled England out for 215 in 38.4 overs, with 24-year-old all-rounder Arafat Minhas producing a dream all-round performance — 59 off 58 balls followed by stunning figures of 6/40 — to be named Player of the Match. England, who won the toss and chose to bowl, were left to rue three dropped catches and a middle-order collapse that undid their bright 91-run opening stand.

Brief scores: Pakistan 302/9 in 50 overs (Hasan Nawaz 79 off 74, Arafat Minhas 59 off 58, Faheem Ashraf 39 off 26; Sonny Baker 3/65) beat England 215 all out in 38.4 overs (Tom Banton 57 off 53, Ben Duckett 45 off 46, Joe Root 33 off 35; Arafat Minhas 6/40, Haris Rauf 2/32) by 87 runs.

PAK vs ENG 2nd ODI Scorecard Summary: 87-Run Tri-Series Win for Pakistan

Team Score Overs Top Scorer Best Bowler
Pakistan 302/9 50.0 Hasan Nawaz 79 (74) Sonny Baker 3/65
England 215 all out 38.4 Tom Banton 57 (53) Arafat Minhas 6/40
  • Result: Pakistan won by 87 runs
  • Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
  • Toss: England won and elected to bowl
  • Player of the Match: Arafat Minhas (59 off 58, 6/40)
  • Series context: Pakistan now have two wins from two; England have lost their opener

Hasan Nawaz’s Career-Best 79 Rescues Pakistan From 81/4

England’s decision to bowl first looked inspired when Pakistan collapsed early. Fakhar Zaman fell for a duck in the very first over, and when Salman Ali Agha departed for 16, Pakistan were reeling at 81/4. Babar Azam (34 off 52) and wicketkeeper Saad Baig (35 off 54) steadied things briefly, but England’s seamers kept the pressure on through the middle overs.

The rescue act came from Hasan Nawaz, who produced a career-best 79 off 74 balls with five fours and four sixes. His innings was the spine of Pakistan’s recovery — first in partnership with Arafat Minhas, then as the senior partner in the lower-middle order. When he departed, Pakistan had a platform but still needed late acceleration.

That acceleration arrived through Minhas (59 off 58 with nine boundaries) and Faheem Ashraf, whose 39 off 26 balls injected pace into the death overs. The pair added 72 from just 49 deliveries, lifting Pakistan to 302/9. England leaked 80 runs in the final eight overs — a phase that ultimately decided the game — and their fielding let them down with three dropped catches, two of them by wicketkeeper Jordan Cox, standing in for the injured Jos Buttler.

Arafat Minhas 6/40: The Bowling Spell That Broke England’s Chase

Chasing 303, England began brightly. Openers Tom Banton and Ben Duckett attacked from the outset, racing to an 91-run opening partnership that had Pakistan worried. Banton struck two sixes and a four in a single over off Naseem Shah, while Duckett found the boundary with ease.

The breakthrough came in the 15th over when Haris Rauf bounced out Duckett for 45 off 46 balls, eight boundaries in an innings that ended five short of a half-century. Arafat Minhas then took over. He removed Banton in the 19th over for a fighting 57 off 53 balls — the opener’s third ODI fifty — and in the 21st over produced the ball of the match to castle captain Harry Brook for just 5 with one that gripped and straightened.

Joe Root (33 off 35) and Sam Curran (27 off 39) briefly stemmed the collapse, taking England past 150, but Naseem Shah bowled Root with a ball that kept low and Rauf removed Curran in the 28.5th over to leave England 165/4. From there Minhas tore through the lower order. The final five wickets added only 38 runs as England folded for 215 in 38.4 overs — Minhas finishing with 6/40, the standout bowling figures of the tri-series so far.

Key Turning Points in the Rawalpindi Clash

  • The Minhas–Faheem 72-run stand (49 balls): turned a par total into a match-winning 302/9.
  • Duckett’s dismissal for 45: Rauf’s 15th-over breakthrough ended the 91-run opening stand and England never built another partnership of substance.
  • Minhas castling Brook: removing England’s captain cheaply in the 21st over knocked the chase’s spine out.
  • England’s dropped catches: three spilled chances, two by stand-in keeper Cox, let Pakistan off the hook at crucial moments.
  • Naseem’s low skidding delivery to Root: ended England’s last real resistance at 165/4.

Player of the Match: Arafat Minhas’ Dream Day With Bat and Ball

Arafat Minhas was the undisputed star of the show. His 59 off 58 balls gave Pakistan’s innings its late surge, and his 6/40 with the ball was the decisive bowling performance of the match — dismantling England’s top order and then cleaning up the tail. For a 24-year-old, it was the complete all-round display: temperament with the bat, wicket-taking skill with the ball, and composure in the big moments. Player of the Match was never in doubt.

What the Result Means for the ODI Tri-Series Points Table

Pakistan now sit comfortably atop the standings with two wins from two matches and four points, having also beaten Sri Lanka by 37 runs in the series opener. They are one win away from sealing a place in the October 31 final in Lahore. England, meanwhile, are under immediate pressure: they must beat Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on October 22 to keep their final hopes alive, and they need answers against quality spin quickly. Sri Lanka, winless so far, face the same must-win reality.

What’s Next: England Face Sri Lanka in a Must-Win Clash on October 22

The tri-series moves quickly. Sri Lanka take on England in Rawalpindi on October 22, a game neither side can afford to lose. Pakistan return to action against England in the 4th ODI at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on October 25 — the match where Pakistan will wear pink kits in support of breast cancer awareness. Read our preview of Sri Lanka vs England 3rd ODI, and revisit how this result built on the tri-series opener — or check our 2nd ODI prediction to see how the contest was set up.

Prediction Verdict

Our pre-match prediction picked Pakistan to win — and the hosts delivered, backing the pick with a dominant 87-run victory.