Pakistan beat England by 87 runs as Arafat Minhas takes 6-40 and hits a fifty
Recovering from 133 for 5, Pakistan made 302 for 9 thanks to Hasan Nawaz (79) and Arafat Minhas (59), then bowled England out for 215. Two wins from two put Shaheen Afridi's side on the brink of the tri-series final.
At a glance
- Pakistan beat England by 87 runs in the ODI tri-series in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
- From 133 for 5, Hasan Nawaz (79 off 74) and Arafat Minhas (59 off 58) led Pakistan to 302 for 9; Sonny Baker took 3 wickets.
- England reached 91 without loss but were bowled out for 215 in 38.4 overs, losing their last seven wickets for 50 runs.
- Left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas took 6 for 40 — the best figures by a Pakistan spinner in an ODI against England — and ran out the last man.
Pakistan thrashed England by 87 runs in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, October 20, with all-rounder Arafat Minhas producing a match-winning double: a half-century with the bat and 6 for 40 with his left-arm spin. It was Pakistan's second win in two matches in the ODI tri-series and leaves them on the brink of the final.
Scorecard summary
| Pakistan | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 302 for 9 (50 overs) | 215 all out (38.4 overs) |
| Top scorers | Hasan Nawaz 79 (74), Arafat Minhas 59 (58), Faheem Ashraf 39 (26), Saad Baig 35, Babar Azam 34 | Tom Banton 57, Ben Duckett 45, Joe Root 33, Sam Curran 27 |
| Best bowling | Arafat Minhas 6-40 | Sonny Baker 3 wickets, Gus Atkinson 2 |
| Result | Pakistan won by 87 runs |
Pakistan's fightback with the bat
England captain Harry Brook won the toss and chose to bowl, expecting dew later in the evening. His bowlers struck early: Fakhar Zaman was out to the first ball of the match from Gus Atkinson, and Saim Ayub went for 8 to Sonny Baker. Babar Azam (34) and Saad Baig (35) steadied things, but at 133 for 5 Pakistan were in trouble.
Hasan Nawaz turned the innings around. He announced himself by hitting the first ball he faced from Adil Rashid for six and went on to make 79 off 74 balls. Arafat Minhas added 59 off 58, his first ODI fifty, and Faheem Ashraf smashed 39 off 26 to push the total past 300. England did not help themselves, dropping three catches — including Jordan Cox putting down Minhas on 12 with Pakistan on 190 for 5.
England collapse
England's chase began well. Ben Duckett and Tom Banton put on 91 without loss in the first 15 overs. Once Banton fell for 57, caught by Shaheen Afridi, the innings fell apart:
- Naseem Shah removed Joe Root (33).
- Minhas dismissed captain Harry Brook for 5, then Jordan Cox, Jamie Overton and Will Jacks.
- He trapped Adil Rashid lbw on the next ball after Jacks, and two balls later ran out Gus Atkinson to end the match.
England lost their last seven wickets for 50 runs and were all out in the 39th over.
Minhas makes history
Minhas's 6 for 40 are the best figures by a Pakistan spinner in an ODI against England. The left-arm spinner, who also took five wickets on his ODI debut against Australia, has quickly become one of Pakistan's most valuable white-ball all-rounders.
Tri-series table after two matches
| Team | Played | Won | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| England | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Why it matters
Beating England — the side many expected to dominate this series — by a big margin is a major boost for Shaheen Afridi's captaincy and for Pakistan's preparations for next year's 50-over World Cup in southern Africa. For England, the defeat is a sloppy start to a long winter that also includes tours of Australia, South Africa and Bangladesh.
What happens next
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka v England | Thu, Oct 22 | Rawalpindi |
| Pakistan v England | Sun, Oct 25 | Lahore |
| Pakistan v Sri Lanka | Tue, Oct 27 | Lahore |
| Sri Lanka v England | Thu, Oct 29 | Lahore |
| Final | Sat, Oct 31 | Lahore |
The top two teams after six matches meet in the final at Gaddafi Stadium on October 31.
Questions people are asking
Who won Pakistan vs England in the tri-series on October 20, 2026?
Pakistan won by 87 runs in Rawalpindi. They scored 302 for 9 and bowled England out for 215 in 38.4 overs.
Who was the star for Pakistan against England?
Arafat Minhas, who scored 59 off 58 balls with the bat and then took 6 for 40 with his left-arm spin — the best figures by a Pakistan spinner in an ODI against England.
Have Pakistan qualified for the tri-series final?
Not yet officially, but two wins from two — against Sri Lanka and England — put them close to a place in the October 31 final in Lahore. England and Sri Lanka are both still looking for their first win.
