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RAWALPINDI: Pakistan recovered from an early batting collapse to post 302 for nine in 50 overs against England in the second match of the ODI tri-nation series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, October 20.
England won the toss and elected to bowl, putting Pakistan under pressure from the opening delivery. Fakhar Zaman was dismissed for a golden duck off the first ball he faced, bowled by Gus Atkinson. Saim Ayub followed after scoring just eight runs, leaving Pakistan searching for stability at the top of the order.
The hosts continued to lose wickets as England’s bowlers maintained pressure. Babar Azam contributed 34 from 52 deliveries, while Saad Baig scored 35 off 54 balls. Salman Ali Agha added 16, but Pakistan slipped to 133 for five, facing the prospect of finishing with a below-par total.
Hasan Nawaz and Arafat Minhas then changed the momentum with a crucial partnership for the sixth wicket. Hasan played an aggressive innings of 79 from 74 balls, striking five fours and four sixes. Minhas provided valuable support, scoring 59 from 58 deliveries with nine boundaries.
Their 78-run stand helped rebuild the innings and gave Pakistan a platform for a stronger finish. Both batters showed patience when required while taking opportunities to score against England’s attack.
Faheem Ashraf added further impetus in the closing overs, striking 39 from just 26 balls. His aggressive contribution helped Pakistan build another important partnership worth 72 runs, ensuring the innings finished strongly after the earlier setbacks.
England’s Sonny Baker was among the leading wicket-takers, claiming three wickets to restrict Pakistan to 302 for nine. Despite England’s early success with the ball, the middle-order recovery and late acceleration lifted the hosts to a competitive total.
Pakistan’s innings demonstrated the value of partnerships after a difficult start, with Hasan and Minhas providing the foundation and Faheem adding valuable runs towards the end. Their contributions helped the team reach 302, setting England a target of 303 to win the match.
At the time of reporting, England’s chase was still in progress. The outcome remained undecided, with the result dependent on how the visitors responded to Pakistan’s total.
The match is the second fixture of the ODI tri-nation series, which features Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka. Tuesday’s contest at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium offers both sides an opportunity to strengthen their position in the competition, with the result yet to be determined.
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