Pak vs Aus 1st ODI Live Updates After 30 Overs

RAWALPINDI: Young Arafat Minhas spun a magic around the Australian batting lineup. He turned the opening exchanges of the Pak vs Aus 1st ODI at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium into a historic masterclass. 

Opting to field first in Pakistan's landmark 1,000th men’s ODI match, captain Shaheen Shah Afridi unleashed a four-pronged spin attack that completely throttled the visitors, leaving Australia stumbling early in the contest.

Debutant Rewrites History

The 30-over mark firmly belonged to the 21-year-old left-arm spinner, Arafat Minhas. Minhas produced an unforgettable spell of bowling that immediately etched his name into the record books. By dismissing dangerous opposition skipper Josh Inglis (13), Marnus Labuschagne (0), and Cameron Green (0) in rapid succession, Minhas dismantled the core of the Australian batting tree.

Before the 30th over concluded, Minhas completed a phenomenal five-wicket haul (5/32), becoming the first-ever Pakistani bowler to claim a fifer on his men's ODI debut.

Spin Chokes the Visitors

Australia’s innings struggled to find momentum against the turning ball on a slow Rawalpindi surface. Opening batsman Matthew Short fought valiantly against the discipline of the hosts, stabilizing one end to register a hard-fought half-century (55 off 76 balls). However, Short received little sustainable support from the elite top order. In the 14th over, Minhas struck twice in three balls, trapping Inglis (13) leg-before-wicket before executing a brilliant arm-ball to send Labuschagne packing for a golden duck. When Cameron Green fell shortly after for a duck, Australia sank to a precarious 68 for 4.

Short and Renshaw Fight Back

A brief counter-attack saw Short join forces with Matt Renshaw. The duo rotated the strike efficiently and punished occasional loose deliveries, dragging Australia past the 100-run milestone. Just as the partnership threatened to change the game's direction, Minhas struck again in the 27th over, outsmarting Short who was smartly stumped by keeper Ghazi Ghori. At the 30-over mark, Australia stood at 133 for 5, with Matt Renshaw attempting to rebuild the innings alongside the lower order under the Rawalpindi lights.