Pakistan’s national cricket team is set to conduct a three-day training camp in Karachi starting either September 20 or 21 as part of their preparations for the 2026 Asian Games scheduled in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. This camp will finalize the team’s readiness ahead of the tournament.

In a significant development, head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke arrived in Lahore from the United Kingdom on Wednesday morning. The final camp schedule will be arranged in coordination with Hesson to optimize the team’s preparation.

The squad is slated to depart for Japan on September 24, coinciding with the commencement of the men’s cricket competition at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture. Pakistan, along with India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, has secured direct entry into the quarter-finals based on their rankings.

Pakistan’s knockout match is scheduled for September 28 against the second-placed team from Group B, with the men’s final set for October 3. This direct entry provides a strategic advantage as the team bypasses the group stage.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed Sahibzada Farhan as captain of the 15-member squad, with Abdul Samad named vice-captain. Farhan, aged 30, has an impressive record with 46 T20 International appearances, accumulating 1,305 runs, including two centuries and ten half-centuries. Samad has represented Pakistan in five T20Is.

Notably, four players—Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat, and Saad Masood—are yet to make their T20I debuts, indicating fresh talent in the squad. The full team roster includes Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Abdul Samad (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Saad Masood, Saim Ayub, Sufyan Moqim, and wicket-keeper Usman Khan.

Fourteen of these players are also part of the National Cricket Academy’s white-ball camp, which is scheduled to begin in Lahore on June 15, ensuring continuity in their training and development.

The support staff accompanying the team includes head coach Mike Hesson, bowling coach Ashley Noffke, fielding coach Shane McDermott, physiotherapist Muhammad Tahir, trainer Imran Ullah, and analyst-cum-team operations coordinator Usman Hashmi, all playing vital roles in the team’s preparation for the Asian Games.