Sameer Minhas Smashes A Brilliant 70 To Lead Islamabad United To A Dominant Win Over Rawalpindi Pindiz
Rawalpindi started well with Kamran Ghulam’s 50, but regular wickets hurt them. Mohammad Rizwan and Yasir Khan fell cheaply, while Daryl Mitchell (19), Abdullah Fazal (23), and Dian Forrester (44*) helped them reach 156/7. Gleeson, Faheem Ashraf, and Salman Irshad picked up key wickets.
Chasing 157, Islamabad lost Devon Conway early, but Sameer Minhas controlled the innings with a quick 70. He was well supported by Mohammad Faiq (19) and Haider Ali (26*), keeping the chase on track.
PSL 2026: Islamabad Wrap It Up Early
Haider Ali stayed unbeaten, while Mark Chapman smashed 24* off 7 balls to finish the game quickly as Islamabad won with plenty of overs left.
Mohammad Amir picked up a wicket but was expensive, while Jalat Khan and Rishad Hossain got one each. Rawalpindi scored 35 in the Powerplay, but Islamabad’s strong 62-run start set up the easy chase.
Who is Sameer Minhas?
Sameer Minhas is a Pakistani cricketer born on December 2, 1986, in Multan. He is an opening batter who can also bowl leg-spin, including googlies. Cricket runs in his family, his brother Arafat Minhas is a spinner, and his father played Under-19 cricket. He represented Pakistan at the Under-13 and Under-16 levels and was named Player of the Tournament in the 2021–22 Under-19 Championship. He looks up to AB de Villiers for inspiration.
Minhas Community and Rajput Roots – Sameer Manhas’ Religion Explained:
The Minhas (or Manhas) community traces its roots to the Rajputs and is often linked to the Dogra lineage, believed to be Suryavanshi (sun-descended). Today, members of this community are spread across India and Pakistan, especially in Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh. A unique aspect of the Minhas identity is that it exists across religions, Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim families all share the same surname in different regions.
Sameer Minhas belongs to a Muslim Rajput family from Pakistan’s Punjab region. Confusion about his religion arises because surnames like Minhas, Bajwa, Malik, and Bhatti are used by people across different religions in the subcontinent. Over generations, many families changed religion but kept their traditional clan names, which is why the same surnames appear among Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims today.
BCCI’s Mithun Manhas Is Also From The Same Community
The Manhas surname also appears in Indian cricket circles. Mithun Manhas is associated with the BCCI and shares the same Rajput Manhas lineage, showing how this community remains connected across borders through both history and cricket.
