England collapse in Rawalpindi as Pakistan’s Arafat Minhas is an all-round hit

England were undone by the all-round excellence of Arafat Minhas as they started their winter and one-day international tri-series in Pakistan with an 87-run defeat in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan, who began the tournament by beating Sri Lanka at the weekend, lurched to 133 for five but were bailed out by Arafat’s 59 and Hasan Nawaz, who belted four sixes and five fours in his 79.

Harry Brook’s side bowled well, although fielding errors led to Pakistan racking up 302 for nine before Tom Banton and Ben Duckett shifted the momentum in England’s favour with a 91-run opening stand.

But Arafat turned the tide again by dismissing the in-form Banton and the 21-year-old, in just his fifth ODI, breached the defences of Brook, before the slow left-armer took out England’s lower order.

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Arafat’s career-best figures

Arafat claimed a career-best six for 40 and effected the run out which sealed Pakistan’s win as England collapsed from 197 for five to 214 all out in 38.4 overs – long before the dew became any kind of factor, which had prompted Brook to field upon winning the toss.

Gus Atkinson struck with the first ball of the match, continuing Pakistan’s platinum duck theme from their abject 3-0 loss in Tests to England last month, as Fakhar Zaman clipped a leg-stump half-volley to Joe Root.

It set the tone for Pakistan’s top-order as they crawled to 81 for four in the 19th over, with Babar Azam tucked up for room and bowled through the gate by Will Jacks either side of Saim Ayub and Salman Agha, a centurion against Sri Lanka on Sunday, falling to cross-batted shots.

Nawaz stars

Nawaz hit a first-ball six, one of three off the returning Adil Rashid, but should have been on his way for 30 – only for Atkinson to spill a running chance in the deep.

Atkinson atoned by snaring Saad Baig to end a 52-run stand with Nawaz, who made full use of his let-off alongside Minhas.

Overton, who conceded just three fours and 38 runs in a pacy 10 overs, produced a terrific yorker to castle Nawaz with 10 overs left.

Nawaz’s efforts laid the foundations and Pakistan added 91 in the last 10 overs.

Jordan Cox, deputising behind the stumps for Jos Buttler, put down a couple of difficult chances to reprieve Arafat before he holed out off Sonny Baker, who collected three for 65.

Decent start for tourists

England’s openers were initially measured against Pakistan’s vaunted quicks although Banton latched on to Naseem Shah’s short balls, twice pulling for six, in a breezy union with Duckett, who fell when he was bounced out by Haris Rauf for 45.

Banton reached a third successive fifty but perished for 57 after lashing a short ball from Minhas to midwicket.

The slow left-armer then cleaned up Brook with one that gripped in the surface, turned and clipped the top of off-stump, a beauty to prise out a player who averages 70 in Pakistan.

Root and Sam Curran rebuilt against Pakistan’s spinners but were dismissed when the quicks came back.

Naseem skidded through the defences of Root, who played on to one that kept low for 33, while Curran lacked conviction with a pull off Rauf, the ball perhaps stopping in the pitch, as he holed out for 27.

England collaspe

England’s hopes seemingly rested entirely on Cox and Jacks in their first of at least 10 ODIs on the road this winter as they build towards the 50-over World Cup in southern Africa in 12 months’ time.

But once Cox was beaten on the inside edge and given lbw off Arafat, England were left circling the drain as they capitulated.

Overton and Jacks offered simple catches to give Arafat his five-for and he had his sixth when Rashid departed leg-before.

A messy end was epitomised when Atkinson was run out after he and Sonny Baker found themselves at the non-striker’s end, with Arafat recovering the ball after a fumble and throwing down the stumps.

READ MORE: Harry Brook determined to become the man England can count on as white-ball captain