Sahibzada Farhan to lead Pakistan in Asian Games as PCB name 15-man squad
Lahore, June 10
Sahibzada Farhan will captain the Pakistan at the Asian Games 2026, scheduled from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan as the Pakistan Cricket Board announced a 15-man squad on Wednesday.
Farhan, 30, has appeared in 46 T20Is for Pakistan, accumulating 1,305 runs with two centuries and 10 half-centuries. Abdul Samad, with five T20I appearances for Pakistan, has been appointed vice-captain of the team.
Of the 15 players in the squad, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat, and Saad Masood are the four who have not yet played T20I for Pakistan.
Furthermore, 14 out of the 15 players chosen for the Asian Games squad are members of the National Cricket Academy's White-Ball Camp, which will begin in Lahore on Monday, June 15 and continue until June 18.
The cricket competition at the continental event will be played in a T20 format, featuring 10 teams at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture.
The men's cricket tournament starts on September 24, with medal matches happening on October 3.
The PCB announced that 49 players will participate in the NCA's Red-Ball and White-Ball camps. These camps are designed to prepare players for upcoming international and domestic competitions. Throughout the camps, players will train under the guidance of National and NCA coaches, as well as PCB Medical staff, focusing on skill development and fitness.
Additionally, each player will have individual sessions with coaches to deepen their understanding of the skills and fitness standards required at the international level.
Pakistan squad for Asian Games: Sahibzada Farhan (c), Abdul Samad (vc), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Saad Masood, Saim Ayub, Sufyan Moqim and Usman Khan (wk)
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting that Saim Ayub is in the squad despite not having many T20I caps. He's a talented opener though. Hope Pakistan does well in Japan.
Sahibzada Farhan has been consistent in domestic cricket. Deserves the captaincy. Hope this Asian Games experience helps them develop future stars.
Nice to see cricket included in Asian Games. This will be a good platform for young players to showcase talent. But I wish India was also participating... 😅
Pakistan's selection seems focused on building bench strength. Four uncapped players is a bold move. Looking forward to seeing how they perform under pressure.
Happy to see cricket at Asian Games again! Pakistan has a balanced squad. Abrar Ahmed will be a key spinner in Japanese conditions. All the best, Pakistan! 🇵🇰
Interesting that they're sending a second-string side. No Babar or Rizwan. But it makes sense to give exposure to younger players. The NCA camp structure looks solid.
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