Pakistan were in deep trouble at five wickets down and 125 runs needed from 79 balls against Sri Lanka in the final of the One-Day International tri-nation cricket series in Lahore. Stepping up under the Gaddafi Stadium floodlights, 21-year-old all-rounder Arafat Minhas delivered a match-winning performance to clinch the trophy for the hosts.
A Stellar Rise in International Cricket
Minhas bounced back from a wicketless bowling spell by anchoring the run chase alongside Hasan Nawaz. With Pakistan needing 39 runs from 27 balls, Minhas smashed a delivery from Dasun Shanaka over midwicket for six. He followed up with four more sixes, finishing unbeaten with 61 runs off 31 balls, securing the player of the series award after accumulating nine wickets and 149 runs overall.
Commentators praised the young cricketer, who stated that he enjoyed the pressure of the final run-chase and tried to remain calm. Before his heroics in the final, Minhas delivered a standout performance against England in Rawalpindi on October 10. He scored 59 runs off 58 balls before taking six wickets for 40 runs to seal an 87-run win, dismantling an England batting order that included captain Harry Brook.
Brook expressed astonishment at the young player’s age after the match, while former England captain Nasser Hussain lauded his complete skill set during the broadcast. The performance made Minhas only the third Pakistani man to score a half-century and take five wickets in an ODI, joining Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq. He had earlier claimed 5-32 on his ODI debut against Australia in May. Minhas stated in an interview with the Pakistan Cricket Board that he prefers to be seen as a complete all-rounder rather than specializing in just batting or bowling.
Early Foundations and Family Support
Minhas initially wanted to be a fast bowler when he was eight years old, but his father, Kashif, handed him a leather ball and directed him toward left-arm spin. Kashif had previously played under-19 cricket for Multan before his own father made him quit to run the family car showroom. Recognizing natural talent in his sons, Kashif purchased full cricket kits for them and, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2020, even constructed a practice facility with a net, mat pitch, and floodlights on his rooftop in Multan.
Following strong performances in age-group cricket and the ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2024, Minhas successfully transitioned to the senior team. His younger brother, Sameer, a right-handed opening batter, was recently named in Pakistan’s Test squad for a two-match series against Sri Lanka after scoring 405 runs in his first season of first-class cricket. Their youngest brother, Abdullah, also plays cricket as a left-handed batter and leg-spinner.
Kashif aspires to see all three of his sons represent Pakistan together in the playing XI and lift an international trophy, fulfilling the ambitions he was forced to abandon in his youth.
