Pakistan have moved up one place to fourth in the ICC Men’s ODI team rankings after defeating England by 87 runs in the second match of the ongoing tri-series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Pakistan now have 103 rating points from 34 matches, moving ahead of Australia, who have 102 points from 35 matches. India lead the rankings with 115 points, followed by New Zealand with 109 and South Africa with 104.
The victory marked Pakistan’s second win in the tri-series, while Arafat Minhas emerged as the standout performer with contributions in both innings.
Batting first, Pakistan suffered an early setback when Gus Atkinson dismissed Fakhar Zaman off the first ball of the innings. Saim Ayub followed for eight, while Babar Azam scored 34 before Will Jacks removed him to leave Pakistan at 59-3.
Salman Ali Agha, who scored a century in the opening match, managed 16 before Adil Rashid dismissed him. Saad Baig and Hasan Nawaz then rebuilt the innings with a 51-run partnership. Saad scored 35 off 54 deliveries before Atkinson broke the stand.
Nawaz kept Pakistan moving with an impressive 79 off 74 balls, including five boundaries and four sixes. He added 78 runs with Minhas, who scored 59 off 58 deliveries, hitting nine boundaries.
Faheem Ashraf provided a late boost with 39 off 25 balls, including five boundaries and a six. Minhas and Faheem helped Pakistan move past 250 before Sonny Baker dismissed Minhas at 283-7.
Baker finished with three wickets for 65 runs, while Atkinson claimed two as Pakistan closed their innings at 302-9 in 50 overs. Shaheen Afridi remained unbeaten on 10, while Haris Rauf finished on four.
England began their chase of 303 positively, with Tom Banton and Ben Duckett putting together a 91-run opening partnership. Haris Rauf ended the stand by dismissing Duckett for 45 off 46 balls, while Banton continued his innings and reached 57 off 53 deliveries.
Minhas then shifted the momentum in Pakistan’s favour, removing Banton and England captain Harry Brook, who scored five. England struggled to build further partnerships as Pakistan kept taking wickets.
Joe Root scored 33 and Sam Curran added 27, but Naseem Shah dismissed Root for his first wicket of the innings. Rauf then removed Curran before Minhas continued his impressive spell by dismissing Jordan Cox and Jamie Overton.
Minhas claimed his fifth wicket by removing Will Jacks for 19 and completed his second five-wicket haul in ODIs when Adil Rashid fell for a first-ball duck. He then ran out Gus Atkinson following a mix-up to seal Pakistan’s 87-run victory.
Minhas finished with figures of 6-40 in 8.4 overs, while Rauf took two wickets and Naseem claimed one.
England were bowled out for 215 in 38.4 overs.
