Afghanistan Squad For Asian Games 2026: Darwish Rasooli To Lead Young Team; Rashid, Gurbaz, Omarzai Missing

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced a 15-member Afghan Abdali squad for the 2026 Asian Games, with Darwish Rasooli named as captain.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from late September to the first week of October in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan. Afghanistan have been placed in a group alongside Japan and Nepal in the cricket competition.

The squad sees a mix of promising young players and a few experienced names, while several of Afghanistan's biggest stars have been rested for the continental event.

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Darwish Rasooli To Captain Afghanistan

Rasooli will lead the Afghan Abdali side at the Asian Games, taking charge of a squad that includes several players looking to make their mark on the international stage.

The team also features a few familiar names from Afghanistan's senior setup. Karim Janat and Nangyal Kharoti bring international experience to the squad, while Hassan Eisakhil, the son of Afghanistan great Mohammad Nabi, has also been included.

🚨 𝐒𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓! 🚨

Here’s our AfghanAbdalyan squad for the Asian Games 2026, set to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 24 to October 3. 👏

🔗: https://t.co/vEdXSjK3I9#AfghanAbdalyan | #AsianGames2026 pic.twitter.com/qVtYnzfPgU

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) August 17, 2026

Rashid Khan, Nabi And Gurbaz Among Stars Rested

One of the biggest talking points from the squad announcement is the absence of several established Afghanistan players.

Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Fazalhaq Farooqi have all been left out as they have been rested.

Their absence means Afghanistan will head into the Asian Games without some of their biggest T20 stars. However, the squad still contains enough experience and young talent to make them a competitive side in the tournament.

Afghanistan To Face Japan And Nepal

Afghanistan will begin their Asian Games quest against Japan and Nepal in the group stage. With the competition taking place in Japan, the Afghan side will be hoping to make a strong start and progress further in the tournament.

The absence of several senior players gives the selected squad an important opportunity to prove its depth and establish itself as Afghanistan's next generation of international cricketers.

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Afghanistan Squad For Asian Games 2026