Rawalpindi: All-rounder Arafat Minhas has responded to questions about his ability to replace fellow all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz in the Pakistan set-up after a brilliant performance in his first ODI against Australia at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
During a recent media conference, Minhas was asked whether his impressive debut could see him being considered as a replacement for Mohammad Nawaz and how he intends to handle such challenges given Nawaz’s established role and years of service to the national side.
The left-arm spinner responded with maturity, saying his priority was not to replace any player but to cement his place in the team with consistent, match-winning performances.
“I don’t want to replace anyone. I want to establish myself as a permanent member of the team and contribute match-winning performances to the team,” Minhas said.
Reflecting on his cricketing journey, he has highlighted his consistency at various levels, emphasizing his ability to make an impact whenever he gets the chance.
“I think even in my past cricket – whether it was at the U19 level, Pakistan Shaheens, or wherever I got the opportunity – I always tried to deliver match-winning and impactful performances. I hope I have succeeded in doing that,” he said.
Notably, the 21-year-old delivered a sensational spell on his ODI debut, picking up five wickets in his 10-over spell to help Australia bowl out 200 in 42.3 overs.
Minhas became the first Pakistani bowler to take 5 wickets in an ODI, breaking a 41-year-old record.
In reply, Pakistan chased the target by scoring 204 runs for 5 wickets in 42.3 overs. Babar Azam scored 69 runs off 94 balls with 4 fours and a six while Ghazi Ghori scored a fluent 65 off 92 balls with 8 fours.
For the uninitiated, both the teams will now travel to Lahore where the remaining two matches of the series will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium on June 2 and 4 respectively.