Qasim Akram to lead Pakistan Men’s team in 19th Asian Games

Islamabad: Pakistan have named uncapped all-rounder Qasim Akram as the captain of their team for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

The squad of Pakistan Shaheens for the Asian Games has been announced.The event will be played from September 23 to October 8.

The 20-year-old has featured in 20 first-class games and 40 T20 games in his career. He also led the Pakistan side in the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup 2022.

Uncapped batter Omair Bin Yousuf has been named as his deputy, an ICC report on Thursday said.

Like India, Pakistan too have sent a second-string side for the Asian Games in lieu of the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

The Pakistan squad features a number of players with international experience, including Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Khushdil Shah, Aamir Jamal, Arshad Iqbal, Mohammad Hasnain and Usman Qadir.

The likes of Arafat Minhas, Sufiyan Muqeem, Rohail Nazir, Jamal, Iqbal, Bin Yousuf, Akram, and Dahani have regularly featured for the Pakistan Shaheens side in the recent past.

Shaheens, effectively the Pakistan ‘A’ side, have played in Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Australia recently. They won the two ‘unofficial’ Tests in Zimbabwe but lost the limited overs series 2-4.

They won the ACC Men’s Emerging Asia Cup, beating India in the final.

As per the rules, the side will appear in the tournament from the quarter-final stage scheduled on October 3 and 4. The semi-finals and finals will be played on October 6 and 7 respectively. The Bronze medal match will also take place on October 7.

The Pakistan Men’s side have featured only once in the Asian Games where they won the bronze medal at the 2010 edition in Guangzhou.

Pakistan Shaheens squad: Qasim Akram (c), Omair Bin Yousuf (vc), Aamir Jamal, Arafat Minhas, Arshad Iqbal, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Mirza Tahir Baig, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Akhlaq (wk), Rohail Nazir, Shahnawaz Dahani, Sufiyan Muqeem and Usman Qadir.

Non-traveling reserves: Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Imran Jr, Muhammad Irfan Khan Niazi and Mubasir Khan. (UNI)