LAHORE: Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has explained the rationale behind selecting a young squad for the upcoming Asian Games.
The 10-team men’s cricket competition is scheduled in Japan from 24 September, with the final to be held on 3 October.
Pakistan have selected a relatively younger squad, with the likes of Shaheen Afridi and Babar Azam not included; instead, the team will be led by opening batter Sahibzada Farhan.
Hesson, during an interview with a private channel, revealed the importance of an expanded player pool ahead of the World Cup.
“We want to broaden our player pool and spend the next six months assessing young talent so we can make the right selections for the World Cup,” Hesson said.
He said that Pakistan’s One-Day side was improving and that the Asian Games would provide young players with valuable exposure.
“Our ODI side is improving, and the Asian Games will provide valuable exposure for younger players. That is why we selected this combination. It is a balanced squad, featuring players who are better suited to the T20I format,” he added.
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The head coach backed the new players to showcase their game at the event while acknowledging the threat posed by teams besides India.
“The Asian Games will finally allow them to showcase their abilities,” he said.
“It is not only India. There are several strong teams. Afghanistan are always dangerous in T20 cricket, Sri Lanka are improving, and Bangladesh are highly competitive in spin-friendly conditions.”
“We cannot prepare for only one team because several sides are capable of posing a serious challenge. I believe we have selected a well-balanced squad,” he concluded.
Pakistan squad for Asian Games 2026
Sahibzada Farhan (c), Abdul Samad (vc), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Saad Masood, Saim Ayub, Sufyan Moqim and Usman Khan (wk).
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