Pakistan’s Sameer Minhas Aims for More than One Title at U19 World Cup

Pakistan’s young rising batter, Sameer Minhas, has set a clear goal for himself in the upcoming U19 World Cup. His recent performances in the international arena have been very impressive, which is why fans are expecting more from him in this mega event. Being a top batter, he also acknowledges his role in the team, which is why he has set his sights on multiple trophies in the tournament.

The primary objective for Sameer and his team is to win the ICC U19 World Cup, which starts on January 15 in Zimbabwe and Namibia. To achieve this goal, he is currently practicing hard with complete focus and clarity of mind.

"We're aiming to win the World Cup. Our practice is going well, and we have clarity in our mind about this. We've set up camps for the last five or six months, the same guys. Our unity and bonding is great, which put us in good stead during the Asia Cup," said Sameer Minhas.

Sameer Minhas got the limelight in the cricket world when he played a scintillating knock against India in U19 Asia Cup final. Detailing his approach for that particular game, he said the goal was to play his natural game in the match without worrying about the results.

"Against India, the plan was to play my natural game. We were encouraged to play fearless but not careless cricket. We started with a couple of boundaries from Hamza, and the great start put the opposition under pressure,” said Sameer Minhas.

After winning against India in the U19 Asia Cup final, Pakistan team received a warm welcome when they arrived home. Sameer and his team were surprised to see such a huge reception, as people gathered at the airport in huge numbers to welcome the rising heroes.  

“We didn't imagine our welcome back home would be so grand, but we were very happy people came to meet and congratulate us. We won our first Asia Cup U-19 title. It was great fun, and we really enjoyed it,” said Sameer Minhas.

Playing in his first U19 mega event, Sameer Minhas hadn’t planned to break so many records. He just wanted to contribute for his team, so that they can win the title. Fortunately, his performances made the victory even sweeter, giving him the confidence that he belongs at this level.

"The celebrations didn't stop for a couple of days, both at the ground and at the hotel. I never thought about breaking records; I just wanted to contribute to the team. The ball was coming onto the bat, and I was being positive without making any rash decisions,” said Sameer Minhas.

“My shots were going through the gaps. I got to fifty pretty quickly, and then I began thinking about a hundred, but I wasn't thinking about breaking records," added Sameer Minhas.

Taking Inspiration from Elder Brother

The brother of Sameer, Arafat Minhas, has already played for Pakistan men’s team. Considering his performances, Sameer got the inspiration that he will also do well at the international stage by backing his skills.

"My brother Arafat has represented Pakistan, and watching that was inspiring. He enjoys himself and gives his all in the field, and I was keen to learn from him," said Sameer Minhas.

Describing his early days of playing cricket, Sameer Minhas said that he used to play gully cricket with his brother when they were quite young. He added that his father backed him to play hardball cricket after watching his passion in home and gully cricket.

"We used to play at home, street, and gully cricket. My brother and I would water tiles and play tape-ball cricket in our home. When dad saw we enjoyed our cricket, he encouraged us to play with a hard ball. My brother began playing with it, and then, I did,” said Sameer Minhas.

He then spoke about his personal goals in the upcoming ICC U19 World Cup, saying that he wants to become the Player of the Tournament, similar to how he got the accolade in Asia Cup and the Zimbabwe series.

"The personal goal I have at the World Cup is to be Player of the Tournament, like I was at the Asia Cup and the Zimbabwe series. We've adapted to conditions here well. The team is very balanced, we bat deep, and we've got many bowling options. We are confident,” concluded Sameer Minhas.