Pakistan Asian Games 2026 squad announced with Sahibzada Farhan as captain for the T20 tournament in Japan as PCB blends experience with emerging talent
Pakistan is heading to Japan for cricket. The PCB announced a 15-member men’s squad for the Asian Games 2026 cricket competition in Aichi-Nagoya. The Pakistan Asian Games 2026 squad will be led by Sahibzada Farhan, a seasoned T20 batter with 46 international appearances to his name. Moreover, Abdul Samad takes the vice-captaincy role, adding further experience to the leadership group.
The cricket competition runs from September 17 to October 3 as part of the broader Asian Games schedule. The men’s T20 event starts on September 24 at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture. Furthermore, medal matches are set for October 3. Therefore, Pakistan’s campaign spans roughly ten days of competitive cricket in Japan.
Sahibzada Farhan brings strong credentials to the captaincy. He scored 1,305 runs across 46 T20 Internationals, including two centuries and 10 half-centuries. Furthermore, his experience at the top of the order makes him a natural leader for a tournament of this nature. Abdul Samad, meanwhile, has five T20 Internationals under his belt and offers batting depth alongside his captaincy duties.
The squad mixes established names with fresh faces. Fast bowler Akif Javed, batter Maaz Sadaqat, pacer Ali Raza, and Saad Masood are all yet to earn their Pakistan T20I debuts. Therefore, the Asian Games offers a genuine opportunity for these players to stake their international claims. Furthermore, 14 of the 15 squad members are part of the National Cricket Academy’s White-Ball Camp starting in Lahore on June 15.
The ten-team competition features automatic qualifiers India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and hosts Japan. Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Oman earned the remaining spots through qualification. Finally, with a competitive field assembled in Japan, Pakistan will need their best cricket to challenge for a medal.
Pakistan Squad for Asian Games 2026
| Sahibzada Farhan | Abdul Samad | 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 | Usman Khan |
Team Management
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Mike Hesson | Head Coach |
| Ashley Noffke | Bowling Coach |
| Shane McDermott | Fielding Coach |
| Muhammad Tahir | Physiotherapist |
| Imran Ullah | Trainer |
| Usman Hashmi | Analyst-Cum-Team Operations Coordinator |
