At Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on October 31, 2026, Pakistan chased down Sri Lanka’s 325 for 8 to secure a three-wicket victory in the ODI tri-series final, scoring 331 for 7 in 48.3 overs. Arafat Minhas, the 21-year-old all-rounder, played a decisive role in the successful pursuit with a 31-ball knock of 61 runs that included 3 fours and 4 sixes. His performance across the tournament earned him Player of the Series recognition, accumulating 149 runs and taking 9 wickets in the competition.
Minhas made his ODI debut against Australia on May 30, 2026, and quickly established himself as a key contributor in Pakistan’s middle order and bowling unit. When he arrived at the crease during the final, Pakistan had lost wickets in succession and required a substantial partnership to build momentum towards the target. His partnership with Hasan Nawaz, batting at number six, proved decisive in the final stages of the chase.
Minhas and Nawaz added 94 runs off 65 deliveries for the sixth wicket, with Nawaz finishing unbeaten on 37 to see Pakistan home. Speaking about the approach during their partnership, Minhas explained the mindset that guided both batsmen through the critical phase.
“When I went in to bat, we needed another partnership as wickets had fallen in quick succession. Hasan and I knew each other’s strengths and our ability to hit boundaries. We wanted to build a partnership and take the game deep because we knew their frontline bowlers had almost completed their spells,” Minhas said while speaking to former Pakistan captain Salman Butt on Straight Drive with Salman Butt.
We were clear about our intent and knew that whoever got the opportunity to score a boundary would take it. Hasan was finding it difficult to get going initially, but I felt the ball was coming nicely onto my bat, so I decided to take my chances. Once we started finding boundaries, the pressure eased and Hasan supported me well,” he added.
What impact did the ball change have on Pakistan’s chase?
The turning point in Pakistan’s chase came when the ball was changed during the last 10 overs of the innings. Minhas observed how the fresh ball transformed the batting conditions and allowed the pair to accelerate their scoring rate. The dew had made the previous ball heavy and difficult to strike cleanly, but the new ball came onto the bat much better, enabling the batters to execute their attacking plans.
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Minhas recalled his conversation with Nawaz during this crucial phase and how they capitalised on the improved conditions.
“The ball had become heavy because of the dew and was staying low, which made hitting difficult. When the ball was changed around the 44th or 45th over, it started coming onto the bat much better. I told Hasan that we should look to attack the balls in our hitting areas. We needed a big over as the required run-rate was around nine or 10. We managed to get that big over, which shifted the momentum in our favour and helped us complete the chase,” he added.
