The Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday named Sahibzada Farhan as captain of the 15-member national squad for the Asian Games 2026, handing the opener his first major leadership role at international level.

Four uncapped players Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat and Saad Masood have also been included in a young-look line-up that the selectors said is geared towards 'building a bench beyond the senior core'.

Pakistan are placed in a tough group at the multi-sport event but the PCB believes the format provides 'invaluable exposure' for next year's T20 calendar.