Debutant Arafat Minhas produced a historic five-wicket haul to help Pakistan bowl out Australia for 200 in the opening match of the three-ODI series on Saturday, giving the hosts a modest target in their landmark 1,000th One-Day International.

The young all-rounder became the first Pakistani cricketer to take five wickets on ODI debut, capping a memorable performance at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

After winning the toss, Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi elected to field first, and the decision paid immediate dividends as the home side’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure on the Australian batting lineup.

Australia’s first setback came when opener Alex Carey was dismissed for 19 by spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Arafat Minhas then took centre stage, striking early to trap Australian captain Josh Inglis lbw for 13. He further tightened Pakistan’s grip on the contest by dismissing Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green for ducks.

The left-arm spinner claimed another major scalp when opener Matthew Short, after scoring a half-century, was stumped off a sharply turning delivery in the 27th over.

Pakistan continued to chip away at the batting order, with vice-captain Salman Ali Agha dismissing Oliver Peake at a total of 145, while Abrar Ahmed removed Matt Renshaw to claim his second wicket of the innings.

Minhas completed his dream debut in the 43rd over by bowling Nathan Ellis, securing his fifth wicket and entering the record books as the first Pakistani to register a five-wicket haul in his maiden ODI appearance.

Australia were eventually bowled out for 199, with Tanveer Sangha and Matthew Kuhnemann among the final wickets to fall.

Besides Minhas’ remarkable five-wicket haul, Abrar Ahmed picked up two wickets, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Salman Ali Agha claimed one wicket each.

Earlier, Pakistan team manager Naveed Akram presented Minhas with his ODI cap ahead of the match, with teammates and support staff congratulating the youngster on his debut.

The match carries additional historical significance as Pakistan became only the third nation in cricket history to complete 1,000 ODIs, following India and Australia. India were the first team to reach the milestone in February 2022 against the West Indies, while Australia became the second side to do so.

Ahead of the contest, the Australian team manager visited Pakistan’s dressing room to extend Eid-ul-Adha greetings, with officials from both teams also exchanging gifts.

The Rawalpindi fixture is the first match of the three-game series, while the remaining two ODIs will be played in Lahore on June 2 and June 4.