Afghanistan names Darwish Rasooli as captain for 2026 Asian Games

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has announced a 15-member squad for the 2026 Asian Games, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 24 to October 3. Darwish Rasooli has been appointed captain of the side.

The selection committee has opted to prioritize emerging talent, drawing heavily from the recently concluded 11th Shpageeza Cricket League. Notable inclusions based on domestic performance include Mohammad Akram and all-rounder Ismat Alam, who received the ‘Best Player’ award in the league. The squad also features experienced players such as Najibullah Zadran and Karim Janat to provide leadership to the younger members.

Several high-profile regular players, including captain Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Azmatullah Omarzai, were not included in the squad for this tournament.