New Delhi, June 10: Pakistan has officially announced its 15-member squad for the 2026 Asian Games, set to take place in Japan. Sahibzada Farhan has been appointed as the team captain, while Abdul Samad will serve as the vice-captain.
Among the selected players, four have yet to play a T20 International for Pakistan: Aqif Javed, Ali Raza, Maj Sadakat, and Saad Masood. Farhan, who has played 46 T20 Internationals, has not previously captained the team in any white-ball format. Abdul Samad has only participated in five T20 matches and was part of the recent ODI series against Australia.
The squad for the Asian Games differs significantly from the one selected for the T20 World Cup 2026. Usman Khan will take on the wicketkeeper role, while prominent players such as Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, and Salman Agha have been excluded from this tournament.
Of the 15 players chosen for the Asian Games, 14 will participate in the NCA white-ball camp starting June 15 in Lahore. Men’s cricket at the Asian Games will commence on September 24, with medal matches beginning on October 3.
Cricket has been a part of the Asian Games three times before, in 2010, 2014, and 2022. In the 2022 edition, Pakistan finished in fourth place, securing one victory and suffering one defeat.
The squad for the 2026 Asian Games includes: Sahibzada Farhan (Captain), Abdul Samad (Vice-Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmad Daniyal, Aqif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maj Sadakat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Saad Masood, Sam Ayub, Sufyan Mokeem, and Usman Khan (Wicketkeeper).
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