Twenty-one-year-old all-rounder Arafat Minhas has firmly established himself as Pakistan’s newest match-winner after producing an array of exceptional individual performances on the international stage. The talented cricketer spearheaded Pakistan’s dramatic victory over Sri Lanka in the Tri-Series final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday, 31 October 2026. Arriving at the crease with the hosts reeling at five wickets down and still requiring 125 runs off 79 deliveries, Minhas transformed a precarious run-chase alongside batting partner Hasan Nawaz.
Facing an escalating required run rate, the young left-hander launched a blistering counter-attack against Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka and the visiting bowling attack. Needing 39 runs from 27 balls, Minhas struck a pivotal length ball over midwicket for six to shift the momentum decisively in Pakistan’s favour. He unleashed four further sixes to seal the victory, finishing with a devastating 61 runs off just 31 balls. His match-winning knock capped off a remarkable individual tournament. Across the entire series, Minhas amassed 149 runs including two half-centuries while collecting nine wickets with his left-arm spin, earning him the Player of the Series award. Reflecting on his heroics, Minhas noted that he thrives under pressure and maintains composure by taking complete responsibility for driving his side over the line.
The Tri-Series final was merely the latest highlight in a series of standout displays. On 10 October 2026, during a One-Day International against England in Rawalpindi, Minhas rescued Pakistan from a dismal 81 for four by scoring a steady 59 off 58 balls, lifting the team to a total of 302 runs. He then wreaked havoc with the ball, claiming six wickets for just 40 runs to dismiss England for 215 and secure an 87-run victory. Minhas decisively broke an opening 91-run stand before cleaning up England skipper Harry Brook for five, prompting Brook to publicly marvel at the youngster’s maturity. Former England captain Nasser Hussain hailed Minhas’s all-round display—comprising a fifty, six wickets, and a run-out—as an ideal fit for head coach Mike Hesson’s search for a dynamic all-rounder. With that performance, Minhas became only the third Pakistani cricketer after Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq to score a half-century and take five or more wickets in the same ODI.
His international breakthrough had arrived earlier in May 2026, when he took five wickets for 32 runs on his ODI debut against Australia. That historic spell made him the first Pakistani bowler to capture a five-wicket haul on ODI debut, a feat that earned him the Player of the Series accolade for his debut campaign. Rejecting narrow labels, Minhas insists on being viewed as a complete all-rounder rather than a pure batting or bowling specialist.
His path to international cricket was shaped predominantly by his father, Kashif Minhas. Kashif, who played Under-19 cricket in Multan before relinquishing his sporting ambitions to manage the family business, recognised extraordinary raw talent in his sons early on. When Arafat was eight years old, his father handed him a leather cricket ball and advised him to switch from fast bowling to left-arm spin. To maintain uninterrupted training during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns, Kashif installed a fully equipped practice setup on the roof of their home in Multan, complete with nets, a matting pitch, and floodlights. Minhas subsequently shone at youth level, earning top honors in domestic Under-16 competitions and helping Pakistan reach the semi-finals of the 2024 Under-19 World Cup.
Cricket remains a deep-seated family affair. Arafat’s younger brother, Samir Minhas, a right-handed opening batsman who scored 405 runs in seven first-class matches during his debut season, has been named in the Pakistan squad for the upcoming two-test series against Sri Lanka in November 2026. Meanwhile, their youngest brother Abdullah continues to develop as a promising left-handed batsman and leg-spinner.
