Pakistan’s young left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas etched his name into the national cricket history books by becoming the first Pakistani bowler to claim a five-wicket haul on One-Day International (ODI) debut.
The 21-year-old produced a sensational spell against Australia national cricket team in the first ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday, returning impressive figures of 5 for 32 in 10 overs, including one maiden, as Pakistan bundled out the visitors for 200 runs 44.1 overs. Making his ODI debut for Pakistan, Minhas displayed remarkable composure and maturity, dismantling Australia’s batting line-up with his disciplined left-arm spin. His five-wicket haul surpassed all previous bowling performances by Pakistani bowlers in their maiden ODI appearances.
According to available statistical records, no Pakistan bowler had previously managed a five-wicket haul on ODI debut. The best earlier debut bowling performances included four-wicket hauls by former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir, veteran pacer Sarfraz Nawaz and others, making Minhas’ achievement a unique milestone in Pakistan’s ODI history. Minhas, who has already represented Pakistan in T20 Internationals and was regarded as one of the country’s brightest young prospects, justified the selectors’ faith with a dream debut performance. The all-rounder rose through Pakistan’s age-group system and gained recognition through his performances in Under-19 cricket and domestic competitions. Pakistan had handed the youngster his maiden ODI cap ahead of the series opener against Australia, a match that also marked Pakistan’s 1,000th ODI appearance.