Father's lens, sons' legacy: How Multan's Kashif Minhas filmed Arafat and Sameer's rise for Pakistan

A father's lens on Pakistan's cricketing future

NEW DELHI: Kashif Minhas has captured thousands of photographs of cricketers over the years, and as an avid birdwatcher he will sometimes wait for hours to get the perfect shot. But when his own sons are playing and he is behind the lens on the ground, the Multan shutterbug admits he struggles to keep his nerves in check.

"I have thousands of photographs of international cricketers. When I am completely focused on a match, I become very attentive to every ball. Capturing a catch at the right moment is special. However, these days, when my sons are playing, I sometimes enjoy watching the cricket live more than photographing it," Kashif, who runs a car business in Multan for a living, told TimesofIndia.com.

The viral moment that broke a father's composure

Earlier this year, Kashif was caught on camera by the broadcasters when his elder son, Arafat Minhas, playing only his third ODI, was dismissed against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. As Arafat walked off, Kashif — standing behind the boundary rope with his camera — could not hold back his emotions.

"I was clicking his photographs, and the moment he got out, I put my hand on the camera and lowered my head. The television cameras caught that reaction, and it went viral," he said.

Kashif insists the attention was unwanted. "They [the broadcasters] know I am his father, so they often keep a camera on me. I even asked the director not to focus on me because I did not want to be shown in front of everyone. People think I am an official photographer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which I am not. I freelance for a local newspaper, Daily Pakistan. But they told me that the visual had helped them garner a lot of views, so I thought, 'Chalo, kisi ka toh bhala ho raha' (At least someone is benefiting from it)."

"We are not a poor family"

Kashif was also stung by false stories that circulated after the clip went viral. "That story made me sad. We have been in the car business since 1980, and I have a large showroom in Multan. Some people portrayed the story as if we belonged to a poor family and I had started photographing my children because we had run out of money. That is not the case. Photography is just my hobby. I have a very good car business and import cars from Japan. I never needed money to fund my children's cricket," he said.

A cricketer's unfulfilled dream, reborn in his sons

Like many fathers on the subcontinent, Kashif is a cricket tragic. "I was also a cricketer. I represented my regional team in Multan. But my father asked me to quit cricket and focus on the family business. He told me to leave cricket or leave home. I left home for two or three days, but then my mother asked me to come back and give up cricket. Nothing is more important to me than my mother, so I quit," he recalled.

His eyes lit up one day while playing tape-ball cricket in their car porch, watching Arafat and Sameer — then aged nine and seven — cut, drive and pull. "The floor was wet, and their hand-eye coordination was amazing. When I saw my children playing, I immediately realised that they had something special in them. I decided that what had happened to me should not happen to them. I wanted them to have the opportunity to pursue cricket," he said.

"I took them to a local cricket academy, and when I saw how well they were playing against pace, I began to take their cricket more seriously. Arafat performed well in the PCB Under-13 tournament, then at the Under-16 and Under-19 levels. Sameer followed in his footsteps, and soon Abdullah will do the same. We kept trying and praying, and Allah blessed us," he added.

Three sons, three talents

Kashif's two elder sons have already shown the world what they can do. Arafat Minhas has played five ODIs and seven T20Is for Pakistan, and the all-rounder has already taken two five-wicket hauls — one each against Australia and England — in his brief international career, including a six-wicket haul against England in Rawalpindi on 20 October 2026. Sameer Minhas has lit up age-group cricket, none more so than his 172 off 113 balls against India in the 2025 U-19 Asia Cup final — a knock that delivered Pakistan's highest Youth ODI score and helped his side post 347/8.

And the proud father says his third son is next in line. "The world doesn't know about my third son, Abdullah Minhas. He is immensely talented as well. He is a left-handed top-order batter and a right-arm leg-break bowler. He has been selected at the Under-17 level and is working hard," Kashif said.

Photography as a way to stay close

As his sons progressed through age-group cricket, Kashif took up photography to remain close to them, freelancing for a local daily. He was on the ground for Arafat's ODI debut against Australia in Rawalpindi. "It was an amazing moment for me. I never imagined that a day would come when my children would represent Pakistan in international cricket and I would be on the ground photographing them. It felt like a blessing, and I was very happy that day. He [Arafat] performed well in the last match [against England]," he said.

Kashif acknowledges the sport demands more than time and money. "It requires a lot of dedication. You have to make sacrifices. I was away with my children for their training when I heard the news of my father's death. After his demise, I had to spend a lot of time at the office. But whenever they played matches outside Multan, I would travel and sit at the ground from morning until evening."

The one dream left: an ICC trophy

Kashif says he has never been harsh on his sons. "When they were not performing well, I would tell them that it was not their day and that their time would come. I would encourage them to stay prepared for the next opportunity. I never wanted to put unnecessary pressure on them. But I will be even happier when my children win an ICC trophy for their country," he said.

A near miss with the record books

The Minhas family could have etched its name in the Guinness World Records, with members representing Pakistan at different age-group levels. But the PCB has declined a request from the over-50s team to participate in the International Masters Cricket World Cup, being hosted by India in January. Minhas Sr was a member of that squad. Pakistan won the previous edition, held in Sri Lanka last year, but this time the board has informed the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association that its team will not be permitted to travel to India.

"It would have been great to represent Pakistan, but it's okay. I will get the chance later," he said.

For Kashif Minhas, cricket has come full circle — from a young regional cricketer forced to choose between the game and his family, to the father documenting his sons' rise on the biggest stage of all.