ISLAMABAD, Oct 21 (APP):Pakistan all-rounder Arafat Minhas has expressed confidence in carrying the momentum of two consecutive victories into the Lahore leg of the ODI tri-series, following his outstanding all-round performance against England in the second match at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan defeated England by 87 runs on Tuesday, with Minhas playing a pivotal role by scoring 59 runs and claiming six wickets for 40 runs.
Reflecting on the team’s progress, the all-rounder said Pakistan would assess the playing conditions before finalising their combination for the upcoming matches.
“It depends on the conditions, and we will go with the combination that suits the best. We have won two matches here, and we will take the momentum gained in Rawalpindi into the Lahore leg and try to give our best,” he said in a post-match interview shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Minhas described his six-wicket haul as one of the most memorable moments of his career, crediting his disciplined bowling and ability to exploit the assistance offered by the pitch.
“I think this is the most important and memorable moment of my career. I backed my skills and bowled in good areas, which benefited me and helped me take six wickets,” he said.
The left-arm spinner singled out his dismissal of England captain Harry Brook as a particularly special moment, describing the delivery as a dream ball for a bowler of his type.
“It was a crucial wicket because we did not want a partnership to develop at that stage. My plan was simple: target the stumps and focus on the spin and assistance I was getting from the pitch,” Minhas said.
He explained that communication among Pakistan’s bowlers played an important role in their success, revealing that Saim Ayub had informed him that the ball was holding on the surface.
Minhas said the team focused on bowling in disciplined areas, building pressure through dot balls and capitalising on opportunities to take wickets.
The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium holds special significance for Minhas, who made his debut at the venue and claimed five wickets. His six-wicket haul against England marked another memorable achievement at the same ground.
“I never thought I would record the best bowling figures of my career here. This is a memorable stadium for me because I made my debut here and took five wickets. Today [Tuesday] I took six wickets against England,” he said.
Minhas also made a valuable contribution with the bat, scoring 59 runs and building a crucial partnership with Hasan Nawaz to help Pakistan post 302 for nine.
He said the pair had discussed the importance of building a partnership and taking the innings deep, while backing their ability to score boundaries and put the opposition under pressure.
“We knew our strengths and believed we could hit a boundary at any stage of the over. We backed ourselves, built a partnership and put pressure on the opposition, which helped us reach 300,” he said.
Emphasising his responsibilities as an all-rounder, Minhas said he approached batting and bowling with equal confidence, aiming to perform to his full potential in both departments.
“When I am bowling, I see myself as a proper bowler, and when I am batting, I see myself as a proper batsman. The team has given me that role, and I try to do my job well in both departments,” he added.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
