Pakistan beat England by 87 runs — Arafat Minhas' 6/40 and 59 stun England in 2nd ODI
By NajamSports Team | October 20, 2026
Pakistan are one win away from the tri-series final, and they got there the hard way. After collapsing to 81 for 4 against England in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, Pakistan roared back through two youngsters — Hasan Nawaz's career-best 79 and Arafat Minhas's maiden ODI fifty — to post 302 for 9. Then Minhas produced the night's defining spell, 6 for 40, as England were bowled out for 215 in 38.4 overs. Pakistan won by 87 runs, their second straight win of the tournament.
Photo: Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi — two wins from two under his leadership in this tri-series. Via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
What Happened?
England won the toss and chose to bowl first, gambling on evening dew making batting easier later. The gamble looked inspired for 19 overs. Gus Atkinson struck with the very first ball of the match, trapping Fakhar Zaman in front with Joe Root taking the catch at short mid-wicket. Sonny Baker removed Saim Ayub for 8, Will Jacks bowled Babar Azam for 34 off 52, and when Adil Rashid dismissed Salman Ali Agha for 16, Pakistan were reeling at 81 for 4 in the 19th over. At the 29-over mark they were five down for around 135.
That is when the kids took over. Saad Baig (35 off 54) first steadied the innings alongside Nawaz in a 51-run stand. Then Hasan Nawaz — playing only his sixth ODI — cut loose. His 79 off 74 balls, with five fours and four sixes, was his second ODI fifty and a new career best. He and Arafat Minhas added 78 for the sixth wicket before Jamie Overton bowled Nawaz.
Minhas was not done. His 59 off 58, studded with nine boundaries, was his first international fifty — and he then shared a 72-run stand off just 49 balls with Faheem Ashraf (39 off 26) that dragged Pakistan past 250. The last ten overs produced 91 runs. Baker finished with 3 for 65, Atkinson 2 for 35, but England's sloppy fielding — three dropped catches by one count — let Pakistan off the hook completely.
Chasing 303, England started brightly through Tom Banton (57 off 53) and Ben Duckett (45 off 46). But the moment Arafat Minhas came on, the chase fell apart. His left-arm spin ripped through the middle and lower order — 6 for 40 in 8.4 overs — with Haris Rauf (2 for 32) and Naseem Shah (1 for 46) providing the support. England lost their last wickets in a heap and were all out for 215. The dew England had banked on never became a factor.
Photo: Babar Azam, whose 34 off 52 could not rescue Pakistan's faltering top order. Via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Key Performances
- Arafat Minhas — 59 (58) and 6/40: the complete all-round ODI performance, and the obvious Player of the Match. A fifty with the bat and a six-wicket haul with the ball in the same game is the kind of day careers are built on.
- Hasan Nawaz — 79 (74): second ODI fifty, career best, and the innings that turned 81/4 into a winning total. He attacked without slogging — exactly what Pakistan's middle order has been missing.
- Faheem Ashraf — 39 (26): the late injection of pace that took Pakistan from competitive to commanding.
- Tom Banton — 57 (53): the only England batter who looked comfortable, but he found no lasting partner once the spinners took hold.
Why This News Matters
Two wins from two puts Pakistan on the brink of the tri-series final — a genuine statement in a home tournament, especially coming right after the 37-run win over Sri Lanka in the opener. England, meanwhile, must now beat Sri Lanka to stay alive, and their problems are piling up: they have not successfully chased 300-plus in an ODI since June 2025, and tonight they were spun out by a 20-something in Asian conditions. For a side that believes its 50-over revival is real, that is a red flag, not a blip. Brook's toss call — bowl first for the dew — also backfired; the dew never arrived and Pakistan's spinners bowled dry.
Photo: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium under floodlights — the venue where Pakistan defended 302 to go 2-0 up. Via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Our Analysis
I will be honest: the 87-run margin flatters Pakistan's top order, and I do not want to pretend otherwise. Fakhar gone first ball, Saim for 8, Babar grinding 34 off 52, Salman for 16 — that is four of your top five failing in a home ODI, and it keeps happening. Babar, in particular, looks stuck between two gears right now: he neither anchors long enough to make the strike rate irrelevant nor attacks early enough to justify it. I am not calling it a crisis, but the tempo debate around him is only going to get louder if this pattern continues.
What genuinely excites me is who fixed it. Hasan Nawaz and Arafat Minhas are the future of this batting line-up, and tonight they played like it — no fear, clear plans, and the temperament to rebuild before accelerating. Minhas's day — fifty plus six-for — is the single best all-round ODI performance by a Pakistani in a long time, and it came when the team was 81/4. That is not a stat-padding knock; that is character.
For England, my reading is harsher than the scorecard. They had Pakistan 81/4 and somehow conceded 302 — dropped catches, loose death bowling, and then a chase that disintegrated against left-arm spin. If England want to win ODI tournaments in Asia, "getting spun out by the opposition's young all-rounder" cannot keep appearing in their match reports. Harry Brook's men have improved in this format, no doubt, but tonight exposed the same old fault line.
And a word for Shaheen Afridi's captaincy: he kept attacking with Minhas instead of protecting him, and he marshalled a young side through a genuine wobble. Two from two, one foot in the final — Pakistan could hardly have asked for a better start to this tri-series. I had England as slight favourites in my preview this morning, and Pakistan just proved me wrong in the most enjoyable way possible.
What Comes Next
Pakistan's remaining tri-series fixtures now carry much less pressure — the 4th ODI against England at Gaddafi Stadium on October 25, the one where Pakistan will wear pink for breast cancer awareness, could even become a final rehearsal. England, though, have no margin left: they must beat Sri Lanka to keep their final hopes alive, and they need answers against spin quickly.
Conclusion
Pakistan beat England by 87 runs in Rawalpindi to make it two wins from two in the ODI tri-series. Hasan Nawaz's career-best 79 rescued the innings from 81/4, and Arafat Minhas's stunning all-round display — 59 with the bat, 6/40 with the ball — buried England's chase of 303. The top-order wobble is a worry for another day; tonight belongs to Pakistan's youngsters. Stay updated with NajamSports.online for the latest cricket news, match reports and analysis.
Read more
- Pakistan vs England 2nd ODI Preview: Playing 11, Head-to-Head, Pitch Report and Who Will Win
- Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs in tri-series opener
Sources
- ESPNcricinfo — PAK vs ENG 2nd ODI match report, Rawalpindi, October 20, 2026
- Sportradar live scorecard — Pakistan 302/9 (50 ov) beat England 215 (38.4 ov) by 87 runs
- Geo News — Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas fifties lift Pakistan to 302 against England
FAQs
Who won the Pakistan vs England 2nd ODI?
Pakistan won by 87 runs at Rawalpindi on October 20, 2026, defending 302/9 by bowling England out for 215.
Who was the Player of the Match?
Arafat Minhas, for his all-round performance — 59 off 58 with the bat and 6 for 40 with the ball.
What does this result mean for the tri-series?
Pakistan have won both their matches and are one win away from the final. England must beat Sri Lanka to stay in contention.
When is Pakistan's next match?
Pakistan face England again in the 4th ODI at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on October 25 — the match where Pakistan will wear pink kits for breast cancer awareness.