Pakistan have announced their squad for the Asian Games 2026, which will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, later this year. The men’s cricket competition will begin on September 24, with the medal matches scheduled for October 3. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has opted for a fresh-looking squad, handing opportunities to several emerging players while resting a number of established international stars.
The selection reflects Pakistan’s focus on building depth in their white-ball setup and providing exposure to young talents on the international stage. The squad features a mix of experienced campaigners and promising youngsters, with several players currently part of the National Cricket Academy’s white-ball development program. Pakistan will be aiming to improve on their performance from the previous Asian Games edition, where they finished fourth after winning one match and losing two.
Sahibzada Farhan to lead Pakistan at Asian Games 2026
The biggest announcement from the squad unveiling is the appointment of Sahibzada Farhan as captain. The right-handed batter has represented Pakistan in 46 T20 Internationals and will lead the national side for the first time in a major tournament. Abdul Samad has been named vice-captain and is expected to play a key role in the middle order. Samad recently featured in Pakistan’s ODI setup and brings valuable experience to a relatively young squad.
Pakistan have also included four players who are yet to make their T20I debuts. Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat and Saad Masood are all in line to earn their maiden international caps during the tournament. Their inclusion highlights the selectors’ intent to test emerging talent in a competitive environment. The squad also contains several exciting young players, including Saim Ayub and Arafat Minhas, as they have impressed in domestic and franchise cricket over the last few seasons.
Fresh faces headline Pakistan’s new-look squad
Unlike Pakistan’s recent T20 World Cup squad, several senior stars have been left out of the Asian Games setup. Regular white-ball captain Salman Ali Agha, along with experienced players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan, have not been selected for the tournament.
Usman Khan has been chosen as the primary wicketkeeper, while Abrar Ahmed is expected to spearhead the spin attack. The pace department includes promising names such as Ahmed Daniyal and Mohammad Salman Mirza. With a balanced blend of youth and experience, Pakistan will be hopeful of making a strong impact in Japan and challenging for a medal. The tournament also presents an excellent opportunity for several players to stake their claim for regular places in Pakistan’s white-ball squads ahead of future international assignments.
Pakistan squad for Asian Games 2026: Sahibzada Farhan (c), Usman Khan (wk), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Abdul Samad (vc), Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Saad Masood, Saim Ayub, Sufyan Moqim.
