The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially unveiled a 15-member men's squad for the Asian Games 2026, with seasoned batter Sahibzada Farhan appointed as captain. The T20 tournament is scheduled to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.
Squad Composition and Leadership
Farhan, 30, has been chosen to lead the national side after establishing himself as one of Pakistan's most consistent performers in the shortest format. The right-handed batter has represented Pakistan in 46 T20 Internationals, amassing 1,305 runs, including two centuries and 10 half-centuries. All-rounder Abdul Samad has been named vice-captain. Samad has featured in five T20 Internationals for Pakistan and is regarded as one of the country's promising young talents.
Youth and Experience Blend
The selected squad blends experience with youth. Four players—Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat, and Saad Masood—have received their first opportunity to be part of a Pakistan squad for a major multi-sport event, despite yet to make their T20I debuts. In a significant indication of the board's long-term planning, 14 of the 15 selected players are also part of the National Cricket Academy's White-Ball Camp, which is scheduled to commence in Lahore on June 15 as preparations intensify for upcoming international assignments.
Key Players and Support Staff
The squad includes several established performers, including spinner Abrar Ahmed, batter Saim Ayub, wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan, all-rounder Arafat Minhas, and hard-hitting batter Hasan Nawaz. The support staff comprises Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Shane McDermott (fielding coach), Muhammad Tahir (physiotherapist), Imran Ullah (trainer), and Usman Hashmi (analyst-cum-team operations coordinator).
The men's cricket competition, featuring 10 teams, will be played at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture. The T20 event will begin on September 24, while the medal matches are set to take place on October 3.
