During a high-stakes ODI tri-nation final against Sri Lanka at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan faced a dire situation. With the team five wickets down and still needing 125 runs from 79 balls, the match seemed to be slipping away. Enter 21-year-old all-rounder Arafat Minhas, who stepped onto the pitch under the intense pressure of a packed home crowd. Minhas, who had gone wicketless in Sri Lanka’s innings, showed few signs of the pressure mounting on the young batting pair and began the repair job. The run chase swayed back in Pakistan’s favour but the final remained tense, within a few overs. Who admitted that he “enjoyed the pressure” of the final run-chase and tried to remain calm, commentators on the host broadcast ran out of superlatives for the promising all-rounder. According to mike Hesson wants all-round cricketers and he’s found one in Arafat Minhas,” former England captain Nasser Hussain, During the broadcast.
Alongside batting partner Hasan Nawaz, Minhas began a calculated recovery.
The tension peaked when, with 39 runs required from 27 balls, Sri Lankan bowler Dasun Shanaka delivered an angled ball.
Minhas responded by lofting the ball over midwicket for a six, a shot that galvanized the crowd and shifted the momentum. The batter swung his bat across the line and sent the ball soaring over midwicket for six to ignite the crowd and rekindle lost hope, unnerved by the occasion and his own lack of experience.
He eventually finished with an unbeaten 61 from 31 balls, securing the trophy for Pakistan and earning the player of the series award. Across the series, he accumulated 149 runs and nine wickets, including two half-centuries. Following this defining moment of his innings, Arafat coolly went on to hit four more sixes, finish with 61 runs off 31 balls, help Pakistan clinch the trophy and bag himself the player of the series award.
Reflecting on the final, Minhas noted that the team simply needed someone to believe in the possibility of the target, adding that he genuinely enjoyed the pressure. His international breakthrough had arrived earlier, notably during an October 10 match against England in Rawalpindi. In that fixture, he scored 59 runs and claimed 6-40, dismantling the English lineup—including Harry Brook—to lead Pakistan to an 87-run victory. Before shining with the bat in the final, Arafat produced one of the finest bowling performances of his fledgling international career against England in Rawalpindi on October 10. After scoring 59 off 58 balls to help Pakistan recover from 81-4 and post 302-9, Minhas took six wickets for 40 runs as England were bowled out for 215, handing Pakistan an 87-run win. England were at 91 without losing a wicket before Arafat dismantled their batting order. According to “To move forward, I’ll improve and put in whatever extra work is required,” Minhas, After the England match. “This isn’t the final goal. Kashif’s ambition extends beyond one son’s career.
This performance cemented his status as the third Pakistani player to achieve a half-century and take five wickets in a men’s ODI, joining legends Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq. Earlier, on his ODI debut against Australia in May, he had already become the first Pakistani to record a five-wicket haul (5-32) in his inaugural match.
Minhas attributes his versatility to his upbringing in Multan, where his father, Kashif, guided his development. Initially, Minhas aspired to be a fast bowler, but his father recognized his talent for left-arm spin. Recognizing the risk that the COVID-19 pandemic might hinder his sons’ progress, Kashif constructed a private practice facility on their rooftop, complete with floodlights and a mat pitch, to ensure training remained uninterrupted. Thirteen years earlier, Minhas dreamed of becoming a fast bowler like every other aspiring Pakistani cricketer. Years later, watching his sons play with toy eggs and plastic balls, Kashif saw a spark. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown threatened to interrupt his sons’ development, Kashif built a cricket practice facility on the rooftop of his house in Multan. And that void will truly be filled.”, that’s the day my dream will be complete.
His journey through the Pakistan age-group system was swift, culminating in a key role during the 2024 ICC Under-19 World Cup. His rise to the senior side was widely seen as inevitable given his consistent form. He remains focused on continuous improvement, stating that his current achievements are not the ultimate goal. Becoming the country’s best under-16 player in his final year before breaking into the under-19 team, minhas rapidly progressed through Pakistan’s age-group system. The ultimate goal is much further ahead.”.
The cricketing legacy in the family continues with his younger brother, Sameer, a promising right-handed opening batter who recently earned a call-up to the Test squad after a successful first-class season scoring 405 runs.
Their youngest brother, Abdullah, also plays as a leg-spinner and left-handed batter.
For their father, Kashif, the ultimate dream is to see all three of his sons represent Pakistan together, potentially winning an ICC trophy and fulfilling a dream he was forced to abandon decades ago due to family business obligations. Kashif had represented his hometown team, Multan, in under-19 cricket but was forced to give up on his dream – “with a heavy heart” – by his father, who urged him to take over the family’s car showroom business. “When I observed them, I saw their playing style wasn’t ordinary; it seemed like a natural gift and a blessing from God,” Kashif told. “I thought: ‘why not train them for professional cricket’?”. Setting them on the path towards professional cricket, he would go on to buy full kits for his sons.
