PCB names experimental squad for Asian Games, excludes established stars

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has selected a youthful and experimental 15-member squad for the men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Sahibzada Farhan has been appointed captain for his first white-ball leadership role, with Abdul Samad named as vice-captain. The selection marks a significant departure from the team that represented Pakistan at the T20 World Cup earlier in 2026.

Established players have been notably excluded from the squad, including regular white-ball captain Salman Ali Agha, Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Shadab Khan. The new lineup features four uncapped players: Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat, and Saad Masood. Usman Khan has been selected as the team’s primary wicketkeeper.

Farhan, who has represented Pakistan in 46 T20 Internationals, takes on the captaincy without previous experience leading the national side in limited-overs cricket. Samad, who has appeared in five T20Is, has not featured in the format since March of the previous year, with his most recent international appearance coming in an ODI series against Australia.

The squad bears little resemblance to recent international setups, with 14 of the 15 selected members currently attending the National Cricket Academy (NCA) white-ball camp in Lahore. This camp is scheduled to begin on June 15, providing a concentrated preparation period for the players before the tournament.

The full squad includes Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Abdul Samad (vice-captain), 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 (wicketkeeper).

The men’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games is scheduled to run from September 24 to October 3, 2026. The competition will commence on September 24, with medal matches set to be played on the final day of the event.