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New-Look Pakistan Captained by Sahibzada Farhan at Asian Games

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Cricket

Pakistan will head to the Asian Games with a fresh face at the helm and some very familiar ones watching from home.

Sahibzada Farhan has been named captain, with Abdul Samad as his deputy, in a squad that pointedly does not include Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf or Naseem Shah. The selectors have offered no clarity on whether this is a hard reset or a temporary breather for the senior core, but the omission of four of Pakistan’s biggest names is the headline that refuses to move.

What is clear: this is Farhan’s team now.

Camp in Karachi, Flight to Japan

The squad assembled in Karachi on Sunday and will dive straight into a short, sharp training camp running from Monday, September 21, to Thursday, September 14. The dates may look compressed, but the plan is simple: get this relatively inexperienced group aligned before they board the flight to Japan on Thursday night.

Not everyone will be there from ball one. Five players – Usman Khan, Saim Ayub, Maaz Sadaqat, Hasan Nawaz and Sufyan Moqim – are expected to join late, once they wrap up their franchise duties at the Caribbean Premier League, which concludes with the CPL final. Only then will Farhan have his full hand.

A Draw Built for Drama

The men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games starts on Monday, September 24, and the bracket has already done its bit to stoke subcontinental intrigue.

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have all been handed direct entry into the quarter-finals. The real twist sits in the structure: India and Pakistan cannot meet in the semi-finals. The only way the old rivals collide is if there’s a medal on the line – either in the bronze playoff or the gold medal match.

Both teams will play their quarter-finals on Monday, September 28. Circle the date. If results fall a certain way, the tournament could be steering itself towards a classic.

Full-Strength India, Experimental Pakistan

While Pakistan experiment, India are going the other way.

The BCCI has named a full-strength squad for the Asian Games, with Shreyas Iyer set to captain a powerful group. Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Tilak Varma are all on the plane, under the guidance of head coach VVS Laxman. Gautam Gambhir, meanwhile, will front the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies, leaving Laxman to marshal India’s medal push.

The contrast is stark. India load up with established stars. Pakistan lean into opportunity and audition.

Pakistan Squad: A Chance to Stake a Claim

Farhan’s side blends domestic performers, emerging talent and a sprinkling of international experience. The squad for the Asian Games reads:

  • 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 some, this is a rare shot in national colours. For others, it is a chance to force their way into the conversation for bigger assignments.

The big names may be missing, but the stakes are not. Medals, reputations, future selections – all of it is in play. How long this new-look Pakistan lasts beyond the Asian Games might just depend on how they handle the pressure in Japan.

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