The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Pakistan's squad for the Asian Games 2023 on Thursday, August 24. Young all-rounder Qasim Akram is named to lead the 15-member team with several international stars included for the Hangzhou Games 2023 starting on September 19.
Cricket is included in the 19th edition of the Asian Games and Pakistan will directly feature from the quarter-final round starting on October 3. With the senior team participating in the Asia Cup and ICC World Cup 2023, the board has named a second-string side for the men's T20I cricket event in the Asian Games.
Qasim Akram, the 20-year-old batting all-rounder, led Pakistan in the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 and was part of Pakistan's team in the recent ACC Emerging Teams Cup 2023. He holds impressive records in domestic cricket and famously took six wickets against UAE in the ACC Emerging Teams Cup tournament.
Omair Bin Yousuf is named Qasim's deputy to lead the strong 15-member squad which includes eight cricketers with international experience. Asif Ali, Khusdil Shah, Haider Ali, Shahnazwaz Dahani and Mohammad Hasnain have made a combined 150 T20I appearances for Pakistan.
Pakistan Squad: Qasim Akram (c), Omair Bin Yousuf (vc), Aamir Jamal, Arafat Minhas, Arshad Iqbal, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Mirza Tahir Baig, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Akhlaq (wk), Rohail Nazir, Shahnawaz Dahani, Sufiyan Muqeem and Usman Qadir
Non-travelling reserves – Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan Niazi and Mubasir Khan
Pakistan's men's team won the bronze medal during the Asian Games 2010 in Guangzhou while the women's team won gold on both occasions in 2010 and 2014. However, both teams are likely to face tough competition form Indian cricket teams which are participating in the Asian Games for the first time in their history.
