| Full Name | Arafat Minhas |
| Age | 21 |
| Date of Birth | 2 January 2005 |
| Birthplace | Multan, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Batting Style | Left Handed Bat |
| Bowling Style | Slow Left Arm Orthodox |
| Playing Role | Allrounder |
| Brother | Sameer Minhas (cricketer) |
| PSL Team | Multan Sultans (2026) |
| ODI Debut | 30 May 2026 — vs Australia, Rawalpindi |
| T20I Debut | 3 October 2023 — vs Hong Kong, Hangzhou |
| ODI Best | 5/32 vs Australia, Rawalpindi (2026) |
| T20I Best | 2/11 vs Zimbabwe |
| FC Best | 152* — First Class century |
| Format | M | Wkts | BBI | Avg | Econ | SR | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 3 | 7 | 5/32 | 12.28 | 3.30 | 22.2 | 1 |
| T20I | 4 | 4 | 2/11 | 15.50 | 5.16 | 18.0 | 0 |
| FC | 17 | 22 | 3/36 | 32.36 | 3.78 | 51.2 | 0 |
| List A | 23 | 25 | 5/32 | 25.76 | 4.46 | 34.6 | 1 |
| T20s | 39 | 31 | 3/32 | 24.29 | 6.85 | 21.2 | 0 |
M: Matches Wkts: Wickets BBI: Best Bowling Innings Avg: Average Econ: Economy SR: Strike Rate 5w: Five Wicket Hauls
| Format | M | Inn | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 50s | 100s | Ct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 3 | 3 | 60 | 33 | 30.00 | 70.58 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| T20I | 4 | 3 | 60 | 25 | 30.00 | 107.14 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| FC | 17 | 30 | 941 | 152* | 32.44 | 76.50 | 4 | 1 | 13 |
| List A | 23 | 20 | 499 | 82 | 27.72 | 95.41 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| T20s | 39 | 33 | 505 | 41 | 20.20 | 140.27 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
M: Matches Inn: Innings HS: Highest Score Avg: Average SR: Strike Rate Ct: Catches
Source: ESPNCricinfo · Updated June 2026
Arafat Minhas is Pakistan’s most exciting young cricketer of 2026. Born on 2 January 2005 in Multan, he is a left-arm orthodox spinner and genuine allrounder who bats left-handed with more than just a tail-ender’s instinct. At just 21 years old he has already played international cricket at two levels and produced one of the most stunning debut performances in Pakistan’s entire ODI history. Cricket runs in the family too. His brother Sameer Minhas is also a cricketer, and the two grew up in a household where the game was never far from the conversation.
Arafat first turned heads in age-group cricket long before he caught the attention of the national selectors. In the 2024 Under-19 World Cup semi-final against Australia he scored 52 and took two wickets in 10 overs at an economy of 2.00, a composed performance on the biggest stage an 18-year-old can reach in cricket. He had also captained Pakistan Under-19s as vice-captain at the 2023 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup, where his all-round ability made him one of the standout players in the tournament. That same year he received his first senior call-up, playing four T20Is starting with the match against Hong Kong at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in October 2023.
His PSL journey took him through Multan Sultans, Karachi Kings and back to Multan Sultans in 2026. It was the confidence built through those PSL seasons that he credits directly for what happened next. On 30 May 2026, in Pakistan’s 1000th ODI at Rawalpindi against Australia, Arafat Minhas walked out to bowl and promptly made history. He became the first Pakistani bowler ever to take a five-wicket haul on ODI debut, finishing with 5 for 32 as Australia were bowled out for 200. The spell included a stunning six-ball burst that removed Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green in quick succession, with Labuschagne and Green both out for ducks.
What made the performance even more special was what happened after Pakistan began their chase. Arafat came in to bat and finished the game off with a six. Player of the Match on ODI debut, on Pakistan’s 1000th ODI, against Australia. Shaheen Afridi, his captain that day, said he watched Arafat’s father celebrating in the stands and it reminded him of his own debut. That image said everything. A father watching his son write his name into Pakistan cricket history in real time.
He is still only 21. The ICC rankings have not yet caught up with his ability simply because his international career is just beginning. But in domestic cricket the numbers tell a clearer story. He has scored a first-class century of 152 not out, averages over 27 with the bat in List A cricket and has taken 25 List A wickets. In T20s his strike rate of 140.27 shows he is not shy with the bat either. Pakistan have found a proper allrounder, the kind that genuinely contributes in all three departments, and the timing could not be better.
Arafat Minhas took 5 wickets for 32 runs on his ODI debut against Australia in Rawalpindi on 30 May 2026, becoming the first Pakistani bowler ever to take a five-wicket haul on ODI debut. He also hit the winning six as Pakistan chased down the target. He was named Player of the Match. The game was Pakistan’s historic 1000th ODI.
Arafat Minhas was born on 2 January 2005 and is 21 years old as of June 2026. He is one of the youngest players in Pakistan’s current international setup and made his ODI debut at just 21 years of age against Australia in May 2026.
Arafat Minhas is a slow left-arm orthodox spinner who also contributes with the bat as a genuine allrounder. He bowls at a tight economy and uses flight and turn to deceive batters. He bats left-handed and has scored a first-class century of 152 not out, showing his ability as a proper two-way cricketer.
Arafat Minhas plays for Multan Sultans in PSL 2026. He previously represented Karachi Kings in PSL 2024 and 2025 before returning to Multan Sultans, the franchise from his home city. His consistent PSL performances were a key reason he earned his ODI call-up in 2026.
Yes. Arafat Minhas’s brother Sameer Minhas is also a cricketer. The two brothers both play professional cricket in Pakistan, making the Minhas family one of the newer cricketing families to emerge from Multan in recent years.
Arafat Minhas’s best bowling figures are 5 for 32, taken on his ODI debut against Australia in Rawalpindi in May 2026. That spell included removing Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green in a devastating six-ball burst. In T20 cricket his best is 3 for 32 and in First-Class cricket his best innings figures are 3 for 36.
