Darwish Rasooli to lead Afghanistan at 2026 Asian Games

Afghanistan's National Selection Committee has appointed Darwish Rasooli as captain of the country's 15-member squad for the 2026 Asian Games, scheduled in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 24 to October 3.

Regular captain Rashid Khan, wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai are all absent from the selection. Experienced campaigners Najibullah Zadran and Karim Janat retain their places and bring continuity to the group.

The selectors drew the majority of the squad from performers in the 11th edition of the Shpageeza Cricket League, using the domestic tournament as their primary form guide. Afghanistan are also scheduled to face India in Delhi across three T20Is in the week immediately before the Asian Games begin, a commitment that appears to have influenced the decision to name separate squads for the two assignments.

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Mohammad Akram was among the standout batters of the Shpageeza Cricket League, accumulating 339 runs across eight innings with one century and two fifties. That return placed him among the tournament's most productive top-order contributors and secured his place in the Asian Games squad.

Ismat Alam delivered a strong all-round campaign, finishing the league with 294 runs and nine wickets. His consistent performances across both disciplines earned him the Shpageeza Cricket League best player award, and the selectors have rewarded that form with inclusion in the travelling party for Japan. The prominence given to Shpageeza Cricket League performances reflects the selection committee's intent to use the domestic competition as a genuine pathway to international representation.

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The three senior players left out of the Asian Games squad are all expected to feature in the T20I series against India in Delhi, which takes place in the days leading up to the Aichi-Nagoya competition. The back-to-back nature of the two assignments means the National Selection Committee has opted to field a separate group for the Asian Games, giving a different set of players the opportunity to represent Afghanistan at the multi-sport event.

No official explanation for the individual omissions has been provided by the Afghanistan Cricket Board. The Asian Games cricket competition runs from September 24 to October 3, 2026, giving the selected squad a focused window to compete in Japan. The arrangement also allows the senior core of the Afghanistan side to remain fresh for the India series without the additional burden of travelling to Japan immediately afterwards.

Darwish Rasooli (c), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Mohammad Akram, Hassan Eisakhil, Khalid Taniwal, Imran Mir, Faisal Khan Shinozada, Najibullah Zadran, Farmanullah Safi, Ismat Alam, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Arab Gul Momand, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Abdullah Ahmadzai.