KARACHI: Pakistan’s white-ball cricket team has begun a four-day training camp ahead of the 2026 Asian Games, with players taking part in batting, bowling and fielding sessions on the opening day.
The camp is being held at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre at the National Stadium in Karachi and will continue until Thursday, September 24.
Pakistan Cricket Team Prepares for Asian Games
The first two days of the camp will focus on batting, bowling and fielding drills. A practice T20 match is scheduled at the Oval Ground on Wednesday, followed by a centre-wicket scenario match on Thursday. Local cricketers have also been invited to assist with the practice sessions.
Pakistan’s departure for Japan is scheduled for the night of September 24. Five players — Usman Khan, Saim Ayub, Muaz Sadaqat, Hasan Nawaz and Sufiyan Muqeem — will join the squad after completing their league commitments.
Fast bowler Salman Mirza has been ruled out after suffering a fracture to his left thumb. Mohammad Wasim Jr has been added as his replacement in the 15-member squad.
Pakistan Squad for Asian Games 2026
The Pakistan squad is led by captain Sahibzada Farhan, with Abdus Samad serving as vice-captain. The 15-member squad includes:
- Sahibzada Farhan (captain)
- Abdus Samad (vice-captain)
- Abrar Ahmed
- Ahmed Daniyal
- Aqib Javed
- Ali Raza
- Arafat Minhas
- Haider Ali
- Hasan Nawaz
- Muaz Sadaqat
- Mohammad Wasim Jr
- Saad Masood
- Saim Ayub
- Sufiyan Muqeem
- Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
The support staff includes head coach Mike Hesson, bowling coach Ashley Noffke, fielding coach Shane McDermott, physiotherapist Muhammad Tahir, trainer Imranullah and analyst Usman Hashmi.
Pakistan’s Asian Games Cricket Schedule
The men’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games in Japan will begin on September 24. Six teams will compete in the preliminary round, with four advancing to the quarter-finals.
Pakistan are scheduled to play their first quarter-final on September 28. The semi-finals will be held on October 1, while the gold-medal match is scheduled for October 3.
The preliminary-round fixtures include Afghanistan vs Japan and Hong Kong vs Malaysia on September 24, Hong Kong vs Oman and Afghanistan vs Nepal on September 25, followed by Japan vs Nepal and Malaysia vs Oman on September 26.