Shahid Afridi praises Arafat Minhas and Hasan Nawaz after Pakistan’s ODI victory over England and calls for consistent opportunities for Sahibzada Farhan.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has praised Arafat Minhas and Hasan Nawaz for their performances in Pakistan’s ODI tri-series match against England at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, while urging the team management to give Sahibzada Farhan consistent opportunities in one-day international cricket.
Minhas delivered a match-winning all-round performance, scoring 59 off 58 balls before taking a career-best six wickets for 40 runs to help Pakistan secure a convincing victory. Hasan Nawaz also played a key role with a fluent 79 off 74 deliveries.
Pakistan recovered from 81-4 to post 302-9, with Faheem Ashraf contributing a quickfire 39 off 26 balls and Saad Baig adding 35 runs to strengthen the total.
England were bowled out for 215 in reply. Tom Banton top-scored with 57, while Ben Duckett contributed 45. Minhas proved decisive with the ball, dismissing six batters to complete an outstanding individual performance and secure Pakistan’s win.
Afridi congratulated the team in a social media post, highlighting Minhas’ impressive contribution with both bat and ball and Hasan Nawaz’s composed innings under pressure. Their performances helped Pakistan recover from early setbacks and post a competitive total before restricting England’s chase.
Alongside praising the two players, Afridi called on Pakistan’s management to provide Sahibzada Farhan with regular opportunities in ODI cricket.
Farhan has scored 101 runs in six ODIs. His record in T20 internationals is considerably more extensive, with 1,554 runs in 51 matches, including two centuries and 13 half-centuries. He has maintained a strike rate of 139.49 in the shortest international format.
Recently appointed Pakistan’s T20I captain, Farhan has also led the national side to a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Games and a 2-1 T20I series victory over Sri Lanka earlier this month.
Afridi’s call for consistency in Farhan’s ODI opportunities comes as Pakistan continues to assess its batting options across formats. While Farhan has established a record in T20 internationals, his limited ODI appearances leave him with an opportunity to build a more substantial record in the 50-over format.
Minhas’ six-wicket haul and half-century, meanwhile, highlighted his potential as an all-round option for Pakistan, while Hasan Nawaz’s contribution underlined the value of his batting in a challenging match situation.
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