Pakistan have drawn a clear line under their recent past for the Asian Games. Sahibzada Farhan will lead a fresh-looking side, with Abdul Samad as his deputy, in a squad that does not feature Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf or Naseem Shah.
Those four omissions dominate the headline. The selection committee has not clarified whether the senior stars have been rested or simply left behind as part of a deliberate shift. For now, this is Farhan’s team.
New-look group gathers in Karachi
The squad assembled in Karachi on Sunday and will dive straight into preparations, with a training camp scheduled from Monday, September 21, to Thursday, September 14. The dates jar on the calendar, but the message is obvious: Pakistan want time together before they fly out.
Farhan’s men are set to leave for Japan on Thursday night, taking with them a group that leans heavily on domestic performers and emerging names. Five players will arrive late: Usman Khan, Saim Ayub, Maaz Sadaqat, Hasan Nawaz and Sufyan Moqim are all tied up with franchise duties, staying on until the Caribbean Premier League final before joining the national camp.
It leaves the coaching staff with a staggered build-up, but also with players who have been living in competitive environments right up to departure.
High stakes, tight draw
The men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games starts on Monday, September 24, and the bracket has already added an extra layer of intrigue. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have all been handed direct entry into the quarter-finals, a nod to their standing in the region.
The draw has done something else: it has ring-fenced the biggest rivalry in the sport. India and Pakistan cannot meet in the semi-finals. They can only collide with a medal on the line – either in the bronze match or in a straight shootout for gold.
Both will open their campaigns on the same day, Monday, September 28, stepping into knockout cricket from ball one. There is no easing in, no group stage to find rhythm. One bad day, and the flight home comes early.
India go full strength, Pakistan gamble on transition
Across the border, the BCCI has gone in the opposite direction. India have named a full-strength squad for the Asian Games, with Shreyas Iyer to captain. Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Tilak Varma are all on the plane, and VVS Laxman will coach the group while Gautam Gambhir oversees the upcoming ODI series against West Indies.
Pakistan, by contrast, are betting on depth and opportunity. No Babar, no Shaheen, no Rauf, no Naseem. Instead, a canvas for fringe players and rising names to paint their case for longer-term roles.
Pakistan squad for Asian Games
- Sahibzada Farhan (captain)
- Abdul Samad (vice-captain)
- Abrar Ahmed
- Ahmed Daniyal
- Akif Javed
- Ali Raza
- Arafat Minhas
- Haider Ali
- Hasan Nawaz
- Maaz Sadaqat
- Mohammad Wasim Jnr
- Saad Masood
- Saim Ayub
- Sufyan Moqim
- Usman Khan (wicket-keeper)
For Farhan and his group, this is more than a multi-sport event. It is an audition on a continental stage, with the shadow of Pakistan’s biggest names looming just outside the squad list. How long that shadow lasts now depends entirely on how this team handles Japan.
