Mohammad Nabi's son earns call-up as Afghanistan announce squad for Asian Games
Hassan Eisakhil (Source: Getty Images)
Published - 17 Aug 2026, 01:10 PM• Read time - 2 mins
Mohammad Nabi's son Hassan Eisakhil has earned a call-up as Afghanistan have announced their squad for the Asian Games to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 24 to October 3. The squad has as many as five uncapped players.
Eisakhil is one of many youngsters who have been picked for the continental event. Mohammad Akram has been rewarded for his outstanding batting performances in the Shpageeza Cricket League 2026. He aggregated 339 runs in eight games, averaging 42.37 at a strike rate of 191.52, including a hundred and two fifties. Khalid Taniwal has also been named in the squad. He had the second-highest strike rate (198.26) in the Shpageeza Cricket League among the top-10 run-getters.
Darwish Rasooli has been named the captain of the side. He has amassed 515 runs in 28 T20Is at an average of 22.39 and a strike rate of 124.39 with the help of four half-centuries. Rasooli, alongside Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran, and Nangeyalia Kharote, are the most experienced players in the line-up. Kharote and leg-spinner Arab Gul are the two frontline spinners in the team.
Pacer Farmanullah, who finished as the leading wicket-taker in the tri-series involving India A, Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, has also been named in the squad. Farmanullah had claimed 10 scalps in four games at an average of 25.50 and an economy rate of 7.46. Abdollah Ahmadzai and Faridoon Dawoodzai will headline the pace attack alongside Farmanullah.
Afghanistan will have to wrestle against Oman, Nepal, Hong Kong, Japan and Malaysia in the preliminary round of the Asian Games to make their way into the knockouts. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have earned direct entries into the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Afghanistan Squad for the Asian Games 2026:
Darwish Rasooli (C), Mohammad Ishaq (WK), Mohammad Akram, Hassan Eisakhil, Khalid Taniwal, Imran Mir, Faisal Khan Shinozada, Najibullah Zadran, Farmanullah Safi, Ismat Alam, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Arab Gul Momand, Faridoon Dawoodzai, and Abdullah Ahmadzai.