Sahibzada Farhan to lead Pakistan in Asian Games 2026

Pakistan have announced their squad for the upcoming Asian Games, with Sahibzada Farhan set to lead the team. This will be Farhan's first stint as an international captain for the side, with Abdul Samad deputising him.

Pakistan have opted for a hitters-heavy squad as they bring back Saim Ayub, Usman Khan and Hasan Nawaz, who will be joined by Maaz Sadaqat in the batting lineup. Additionally, right-handed batter Haider Ali has also been called up. Haider has been out of the side since the last edition of the Asian Games, where he played only two games for Pakistan.

The squad also features several young faces, especially those who had a decent time in the recent Pakistan Super League. A strong contingent of spinners, including Abrar Ahmed, Sufyan Moqim, and Arafat Minhas, have been included, with young fast bowlers including Akif Javed, Ali Raza, and Salman Mirza completing the bowling attack.

There were reports that the Pakistan Cricket Board is mulling over naming a full-strength squad for the competition, but many senior players have been left out.

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).

Support staff: 

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).

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