Afghanistan Announces 15-Member Cricket Squad for 2026 Asian Games

KATHMANDU. Afghanistan has announced a 15-member cricket team for the 2026 Asian Games to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The team announced by the national selection committee of the Afghanistan Cricket Board will be captained by Darwish Rasouli.

The team prioritizes young players. However, experienced players Najibullah Zadran and Karim Janat have also been included in the team. Regular captain Rashid Khan, as well as key players like Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Azmatullah Omarzai, are not in the team.

Most of the players in the team have been selected based on their performance in the recently concluded 11th edition of the Shpageeza Cricket League (SCL). Top-order batsman Mohammad Akram secured a place in the Asian Games team after scoring 339 runs in eight innings, including one century and two half-centuries, in the SCL.

Similarly, all-rounder Ismat Alam also performed impressively in the SCL. He won the best player award by scoring 294 runs and taking 9 wickets in the tournament.

Young players like wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Ishaq, Hasan Isakhil, Khalid Taniwal, and Imran Mir are also in the team. The presence of experienced Najibullah and Janat is expected to add international experience to the young team.

The Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 24 to October 3. Before that, Afghanistan is scheduled to play a three-match T20 International series in Delhi, India.

Afghanistan's Asian Games Team?

Darwish Rasouli (Captain), Mohammad Ishaq (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Akram, Hasan Isakhil, Khalid Taniwal, Imran Mir, Faisal Khan Sinozada, Najibullah Zadran, Farmanullah Safi, Ismat Alam, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Arab Gul Momand, Firaidun Ahmad Daudzai.

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