Debutante spinner undoes Aussies in ODI opening

Josh Inglis suffered defeat in his first match as Australian ODI captain as Pakistan’s 21-year-old debutant Arafat Minhas bagged a stunning five-wicket haul and then crushed the winning runs with a six to secure a comprehensive win in Rawalpindi.

Inglis, who was tasked with leading the side with Mitch Marsh ruled out due to an ankle injury, saw his side struggle against Minhas’ tricky left-arm variation as the orthodox left-arm spinner put the visitors on the back foot with 5-32.

Australia’s own debutant, 19-year-old Ollie Peake, became the tourists’ youngest-ever ODI batsman but could only make seven as his side struggled to post 200 in the opening match of the three-match series.

And Pakistan always looked comfortable achieving their target thanks to a solid century-long partnership between Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori, with Minhas capping a brilliant performance by hitting a towering six to seal the five-wicket win with 45 balls to spare.

All-rounder Minhas, while playing in his first international ODI, is not a complete rookie at this level. He made his T20 debut in 2023, scoring 60 runs and claiming four wickets in four matches in the shorter format.

But he looked the real deal as Australia struggled with his clever line and run as he became the first Pakistani player to earn a five-for on his ODI debut.

Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi opted to field first but saw Australia run into early trouble as openers Matt Short and Alex Carey scored 32 in six overs, with the latter smashing two sublime boundaries in the same over off Haris Rauf as he raced to 19 off 24 balls.

But the promising partnership was abruptly ended after the first bowling change when leg spinner Abrar forced Ahmed Carey to clip to Salman Agha, who took a smart low catch at slip.

Captain Inglis was next and survived an early, blunt review as he fought to keep the momentum going. But the 31-year-old was soon free after attempting a daring reverse-sweep and was outright condemned as Minus’ first ODI victim after assessment.

Minhas’ dream debut continued as he dismissed both Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green without scoring, with the former stranded lbw on the back foot playing an unconvincing defensive shot.

Green quickly followed suit when he was fooled trying to follow another hard-to-read delivery from Minha, with the ball hitting his stump.

Short helped the tourists get their 100 in the 21st over with 55 off 77 balls before he too succumbed to another Minhas delivery. The 30-year-old all-rounder came down the wicket in an attempt to assert his authority but missed the line and wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori pulled his bail off to end a promising partnership of 55 off 66 balls with Matt Renshaw.

Peake, the 19-year-old from Geelong who played a key role in Australia’s 2024 U19 World Cup victory at 17, then made a cheap start in his first senior start when he sent Salman Ali Agha with sharp edges to Ghori.

Renshaw kept the scoreboard ticking with almost a run-a-ball, before being bowled by Abrar who attempted a back-foot strike, finishing with 61 off 63 balls.

While Tanveer Sangha fell without scoring, Matt Kuhnemann contributed a useful 24 off 40 balls as Australia set a target of 201.

Pakistan, playing in their 1000th ODI, got off to a good start as Sahibzada Farhan made 28 before falling to Australian spinner Sangha, while Adam Zampa withdrew late due to a neck sprain.

Kuhnemann bowled well but recalled that Billy Stanlake, playing his first international match in seven years, was unable to break into the Pakistan line-up in his eighth ODI as Azam (69) recorded a 38th ODI half-century, and Ghori (65) his first, as their 127-run stand helped Pakistan towards their target.

And it was fitting that the winning runs came from teenage star Minhas, who sealed the match with a beautifully struck straight six against Labuschagne in an unbeaten 18 off 17 balls as Pakistan reached 5-202.

Qantas tour of Pakistan and Bangladesh 2026

Australian squad for Pakistan ODIs: Josh Inglis (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa

Pakistani team: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Sufyan Moqim

May 30: First ODI, Pakistan won by five wickets

June 2: Second ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, 9:30pm AEST

June 4: Third ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, 9:30pm AEST

Australian squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Adam Zampa

June 9: First ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST

June 11: Second ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST

June 14: Third ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST

Australian squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa

June 17: First T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST

June 19: Second T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST

June 21: Third T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST

All matches exclusively on You exercise and Fox cricket