The 26-year old Darwish Rasooli is set to lead the Afghanistan Squad for the upcoming Asian Games 2026.

The 15-member squad has included 6 uncapped players, while five others have only a few appearances in their international careers. The performances at domestic competitions have handed a genuine pathway to international representation.

The veterans like Najibullah Zadran, Nangeyalia Kharote and Karim Janat are the other experienced campaigners alongside Rasooli.

Meanwhile, the regular Afghanistan T20I captain Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Azmatullah Omarzai won’t be part of the squad.

Ahead of the event, Afghanistan is scheduled to play a three-match T20I series in Delhi. The back-to-back assignments mean the National Selection Committee has opted to field a separate group for the Asian Games, allowing a set of players to represent Afghanistan at a multi-sport event.

Players who have impressed in the Shpageeza Cricket League (SCL), one of Afghanistan’s domestic T20 competitions, have been rewarded with call-ups.

The top-order batter Mohammad Akram has earned his place after a prolific run in the Shpageeza Cricket League, where he scored 339 runs in eight innings, including a century and two fifties.

On the other hand, all-rounder Ismat Alam has also been rewarded for his performances in the tournament, having finished with 294 runs and nine wickets, earning him the SCL’s best player award.

Wk-batter Mohammad Ishaq, Hassan Eisaklhil, Khalid Taniwal and Imran Mir are the other youngsters included in the squad.

Afghanistan have been silver medal winners in the men’s cricket events at the Asian Games in 2010, 2014 and 2022.

The Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 24 to October 04.

Afghanistan Squad for Asian Games 2026: Darwish Rasouli (c), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Mohammad Akram, Hasan Isakhil, Khalid Taniwal, Imran Mir, Faisal Khan Sinozada, Najibullah Zadran, Farmanullah Safi, Ismat Alam, Karim Janat, Nangyal KharotiArab Gul Momand, Firaidun Ahmad Daudzai.