Pakistani batsman Sahibzada Farhan has been officially named as the captain of the fresh-looking squad, featuring a mix of experienced stars and emerging youngsters.

After concluding fourth in the previous Asian Games edition in 2022, Pakistan will be keen to enhance its performance and keep its hopes alive of winning a gold medal.

There aren’t many star cricketers in the Asian Games setup when compared to Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. Notable exclusions include the regular captain, Salman Ali Agha, along with veteran stars like Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, and Shadab Khan.

Let’s take a look at the squad to understand how the forthcoming tournament serves as the best opportunity for the experienced candidates and newcomers to secure their spot as regular players in Pakistan’s T20 squad.

Notable Inclusions in Pakistan’s Squad For Asian Games 2026

PCB selection committee has focused on building depth in the batting and bowling line-up, where young talents get exposure in international matches under the guidance of established stars. 

Captain’s Appointment: Biggest Announcement

Sahibzada Farhan enters a new role by leading the national team for the first time in a grand tournament like the Asian Games. The 30-year-old, having played 45 T20I matches in his career, amassed 1,305 runs, which includes 2 centuries and 10 half-centuries at an average of 30.35. 

Samad To Serve As Farhan’s Deputy

Pakistani middle-order batsman Abdul Samad, as vice-captain, adds immense experience to the young squad.

The right-handed batsman, who earlier featured in Pakistan’s ODI squad, can integrate his leadership skills alongside Sahibzada Farhan. 

In 5 T20Is, the 28-year-old scored 66 runs, averaging 16.5 and a strike rate of 113.80, including his highest score of 44 in an inning.

Batting Specialist Makes the Squad Formidable

Along with Sahibzada Farhan and Abdul Samad, the other two names in the list of specialist batters include Haider Ali and Hasan Nawaz. This makes the batting line-up formidable to create an impact in Japan.

Four Young Players Set to Make Their T20I Debut

PCB selectors have included four players who are yet to make their debut in T20 Internationals (T20Is). Here are those newbies who are likely to set a benchmark in the 20-over format during the Asian Games 2026:

• Akif Javed: Left-Arm Pacer
  
  
• Ali Raza: Right-Arm Pacer
  
  
• Maaz Sadaqat: Spin Bowling All-Rounder (Left-Handed Batsman and Left-Arm Spinner)
  
  
• Saad Masood: Spin Bowling All-Rounder (Right-Handed Batsman and Right-Arm Spinner)

Although inexperienced in the shortest format, the selectors’ decision to back these youngsters reflects their aim to test their skills on a grand stage.

Exciting Performers in Franchise Cricket

Saim Ayub and Arafat Minhas are the two impressive performers in the franchise T20 cricket for the past few editions.

Ayub represented three different teams in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), respectively. He played the solo edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in 2023 for Guyana Amazon Warriors.

Here are the brief stats of Saim Ayub’s franchise cricket career as a spin bowling all-rounder:

Minhas, on the other hand, has dedicated his franchise cricket career solely to PSL, having represented Karachi Kings (in 2023 and 2025) and Multan Sultans (in 2026).

Primary Wicketkeeper

Usman Khan is the only wicketkeeper in Pakistan’s 15-member squad who has amassed 474 runs in 32 innings of his T20I career.

Spin Bowling Department

Leg-spinner specialist Abrar Ahmed will spearhead Pakistan’s spin bowling attack, featuring Sufyan Moqim alongside the young all-rounders Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood, and Saim Ayub. Also, Arafat Minhas can serve as a backup spinner for Ahmed.

Pace Bowling Department

Pacers like Ahmed Daniyal and Mohammad Salman Mirza can bolster the fast bowling attack with their raw pace and bounce. While newbies like Akif Javed and Ali Raza have higher chances to mark a debut and secure a place in the squad as specialist fast bowlers.

Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team 15-Member Squad For Asian Games 2026

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Especially, the last-minute withdrawals include notable overseas cricketers like Dasun Shanaka, Blessing Muzarabani, and Gudakesh Motie, who forfeited their contracts to join the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

As the 11th edition of the tournament approaches, the PSL franchises are running out of time to find the ideal replacements within a short span.

Mohsin Naqvi Plans to Protect PSL Future

During the recent media interaction, Mohsin Naqvi voiced his frustration against those overseas players who quit the PSL to join IPL franchises:

“Certainly! According to the rules, we will take strict action against the players who withdraw from the league. Similar was the case last year, too, and the same thing will happen this year also,�the 47-year-old said.

Naqvi cited South African all-rounder Corbin Bosch’s incident, who abandoned his contract with Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2025 to join the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians in the same year. As a consequence, PCB imposed a one-year ban on him and restricted him from participating in the forthcoming PSL edition as well.

The PCB chairman is keen to protect the integrity and future of PSL. Also, the board is currently scrutinizing the legal actions to take against the overseas players in the forthcoming days to send a strong message to the cricket world on how to balance career opportunities and professional duties.

PSL 11 Schedule Conflicts with IPL 2026: Adds Complications

The 11th season of the PSL starts on March 26 (Thursday), two days ahead of the commencement of IPL 2026 on March 28 (Saturday). This is indeed the second consecutive season where the neighbouring nations’ franchise T20 leagues’ schedules have clashed against each other.

Taking advantage of the Pakistan-Afghanistan cross-border tensions, players have cited security concerns and pulled themselves out of the league. The main reason to abandon the PSL contract is to switch to secure lucrative deals with IPL franchises.

Most importantly, PSL started to face a severe setback when organizing the league simultaneously with IPL.

With a few days left for the tournament to kickstart, the team combinations have been disrupted due to the last-minute forfeiture.

‘Clash With IPL Not A Problem� Mohsin Naqvi

Furthermore, Mohsin Naqvi rejected claims that the PSL schedule conflicts with the IPL as the root of this issue:

“No! This issue occurred not because of IPL. If players are willing to leave this tournament to play there, another set of top-class players will join here. Moreover, there is no possibility to postpone PSL due to the unavailability of an alternative window throughout this year,�Naqvi added.

Due to the oil crisis caused by the ongoing West Asia conflict, the hosting venues have been cut down from six to two. As matches would be played without any spectators inside the stadiums, the forfeiture of reputed players adds a double blow to the league’s proceedings.

High Profile Withdrawals That Left PSL Franchise in Jeopardy

Several notable foreign players have withdrawn their participation from PSL, citing personal reasons, which include the names such as:

Especially, the timing of the overseas players’ withdrawal, added with IPL opportunities provoked frustration within the PCB.

Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka left the PSL 2026 before its commencement to replace the injured all-rounder Sam Curran in the Rajasthan Royals squad. However, the Qalandars signed the Aussie all-rounder Daniel Sams to replace Shanaka.

Likewise, Blessing Muzarbani abandoned his contract with Islamabad United after signing his contract with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as a replacement for the Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman.

As Jake Fraser parted ways with the Rawalpindi Pindiz, the franchise roped in the Aussie veteran wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, whose experience can prove valuable in tough matches.

Final Thoughts

As several overseas star cricketers have withdrawn from the league, this situation is reminiscent of Corbin Bosch, who made his exit from PSL despite being selected in the diamond category for Peshawar Zalmi.

So far, the PSL franchises have managed to find only a handful of ideal replacements, as the battle to fill the void intensifies day by day.

Initially, the overseas players sign contracts with the PSL franchises and commit to ensuring their services throughout the season, either after going unsold in the IPL auction or not receiving lucrative offers.

However, the issue gets intensified when IPL franchises acquire unsold players and offer hefty salaries to replace the injured players. As players are keen to gain exposure at the international level as well as secure the high payouts, their temptation to choose IPL over PSL is extremely unavoidable.

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Amidst the increasing cross-border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, there are speculations about the PSL season 11 being postponed.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi confidently stated that the PSL 11 will commence as per the scheduled date. Also, he warned of taking strict action against the last-minute withdrawal of the overseas players.

Reasons Why PSL 2026 Faces Threats of Postponement

The increasing tensions against Afghanistan add risks to the commencement of PSL 2026. More than 10 foreign cricketers were reported to have been withdrawn from the tournament. There is a possibility that more players could withdraw from the forthcoming season.

With increased uncertainty about the proceedings of the PSL 11, the speculations continue to mount that the tournament could either face postponement or even cancellation.

There are hardly a couple of days left for the PSL to commence. Still, there hasn’t been any official confirmation, with the final announcement expected to be made on Tuesday (March 24, 2026).

Also, the PSL’s schedule clashing with the Indian Premier League (IPL) has diminished the tournament’s success rate.

With the increase in the number of last-minute withdrawals, players could make use of this situation to switch from PSL to IPL. It includes notable overseas stars like Blessing Muzarabani (ZIMBABWE), Gudakesh Motie (WEST INDIES), and Dasun Shanaka (SRI LANKA).

Pakistan’s Toughest Challenge in Hosting PSL 2026

The petroleum shortage triggered due to the West Asia conflict and war against the neighbouring nation, Afghanistan, added concerns about overseas players’ participation in PSL 2026.

Earlier, the tournament was supposed to be staged across these six core cities in Pakistan:

• Lahore
• Karachi
• Rawalpindi
• Peshawar
• Faisalabad
• Multan

In addition to restricting the hosting venues, Pakistan’s franchise T20 league faced another setback by cancelling the opening ceremony. Pakistani interior minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed regret over the cancellation of the event and promised fans a complete refund for their tickets.

However, the PSL 11 will be played without any spectators inside the stadium because of the high security threats, fuel crisis, and West Asia tensions.

Explained: Why PSL 11 Was Restricted to Two Venues?

Mohsin Naqvi, during a press conference, stated that there was no possible window to postpone the 11th season of PSL and the only way to organize the tournament was to reduce the hosting venues from six to two.

“See! Discussions about PSL 2026 have been continuing for the past few days. Right now, we are not aware of how long the situation will continue.

Seeing the present situation, we had a detailed discussion with our security agents. Although the PSL will continue as per the earlier schedule, the hosting venues have been changed.

The tournament will progress, but there won’t be any crowd during the matches. It is indeed a tough decision, but we do not have a choice, as we cannot request every individual to avoid their moments and safely accommodate 30,000 members in the stadium every day.

As everyone is eager for the PSL to progress, there is no chance of postponing the league as there is no alternative window to host it,�Naqvi said.

Naqvi About PSL 11 Cancelled Opening Ceremony

To mitigate the security threats and reduce expenses, PCB was forced to cancel the opening ceremony, and here is what Mohsin Naqvi had to explain about the current situation:

“Yes! PSL is an international brand with several foreign players involved. Hosting the tournament is mandatory as the newly prepared schedule minimizes the team movements.

Our apologies to those enthusiasts for causing inconvenience at such tough times. Unfortunately, the opening ceremony has now been called off, and fans are guaranteed refunds for their tickets.

The part-time staff will be able to coordinate with their teams, while the full-time staff members are unlikely to ensure their appearance in the PSL.

As per the Pakistani Prime Minister’s instructions, we restricted the players’ and coaching staff’s movements due to the fuel crisis. Several schools have been shut down, the number of Eid holidays has been increased, and the companies have directed employees to work from home. So far, we are not sure how long this war will persist,â€?the 47-year-old said.

Legal Action Against Last Minute Pull-Outs: Mohsin Naqvi’s Warning

Furthermore, Mohsin Naqvi spoke about the overseas players’ withdrawals and warned of taking strict legal action:

“Certainly! We will take legal action on this issue as 2 to 3 players have left. Just take a look at the previous season and this year as well. You will come to know the number of Category A players we signed.

We are not concerned about PSL clashing with IPL as we boast a strong set of players. No matter if some players are exiting, a large number of talented players are joining the league,�Naqvi voiced his opinion.

Overall Verdict

Despite the mounting threats of PSL 2026 postponement or cancellation,  PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is firm with his stance of hosting the league as per the original schedule.

The sudden last-minute withdrawals and scheduling conflicts with IPL 2026 have left the PSL franchises clueless in finding the best replacements in a few days before the season opener on March 26.

As the withdrawals are expected to pile up, the current situation sparks doubts about how the team combinations will shape up and whether the PSL 11 can be conducted smoothly.

The post Will PSL 2026 Be Postponed? Mohsin Naqvi Breaks Silence Amid Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions! appeared first on Crickex.

Even though the situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan continues to worsen day by day, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed a training session for all PSL franchises.

As PSL 11 is set to commence on March 26, questions arise about Pakistan’s security measures. Recent Pakistani airstrikes on a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, killed more than 400 people. This incident raises concerns among foreign players, who have reportedly withdrawn their names from the league.

BCB Waiting For Government Approval

Because of the current regional tensions, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) now awaits official approval from the government to allow the players to travel to Pakistan and participate in the PSL 11.

Despite being selected in the player auction, these six players were earlier granted conditional NOCs and are yet to receive full clearance: 

• Mustafizur Rahman
• Nahid Rana
• Rishad Hossain
• Parvez Hossain Emon
• Shoriful Islam
• Tanzid Hasan Tamim

Moreover, the PSL 11 schedule coincides with New Zealand’s white-ball tour of Afghanistan in April-May.

Also, the preparatory camps ahead of the series clash with the same window of Pakistan’s franchise T20 league.

This scheduling conflict offers BCB a valid reason to safeguard its players, citing international commitments as a safer priority than franchise cricket. 

Why does BCB Requires Government Clearance To Allow Its Players in PSL 11?

Nazmul Abedin, the cricket operations chairman of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, clarified that the board’s standard procedures have changed due to the current circumstances and the looming security concerns.

Under normal situations, there won’t be any extra checks. Players are granted clearance to travel, play, and return. Amidst the ongoing tensions, players’ safety is at risk, which forced the BCB to take a different path by discussing with the government rather than following the usual procedures.

Nazmul furthermore explained that the Bangladeshi government is well aware of the situation in Pakistan. As of now, the BCB finds it tough to analyze the situation and has halted the internal clearance process.

Based on the government’s instructions and the situation at the start of PSL, the BCB will permit its players to travel only if it is 100% safe in Pakistan.

What if the Bangladesh Government Deems the Travel Unsafe?

Suppose the Bangladesh government deems the travel unsafe, the planned schedule will lose its significance.

Most of the PSL franchises, particularly the Lahore Qalandars, that invested 6.44 crore (in Pakistani Rupees) on Mustafizur Rahman, are likely to face massive setbacks if the Bangladeshi cricketers do not board their flight to Pakistan.

Cricket Australia Plans To Avoid PSL 11

Meanwhile, the latest reports revealed that Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian government have refrained from allowing their players to travel to Pakistan.

Specifically, the players’ travel to Peshawar has been strictly forbidden, where the solo PSL fixture between Peshawar Zalmi and Rawalpindiz is scheduled on March 28 (Saturday). This is a preventive measure taken due to its proximity to the Afghanistan border.

Here is a list of those Australian stars who were supposed to take part in the PSL 2026:

PCB Source Dismisses Australian Players’ Safety Concerns

The closest source to PCB claimed that the media reports were false that Australian players were reluctant to travel to the nation due to the increasing Pakistan-Afghanistan border tensions.

Here is what the source stated:“No! There is no such confirmation. The travel arrangements and plans to organize the PSL 11 will take place smoothly. Australian players who are contracted with their respective franchises will arrive in the forthcoming week,�/em> the PCB source revealed.