Pakistan Sends 246-Member Contingent to 2026 Asian Games in Japan
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Pakistan is set to field a 246-member contingent at the 20th Asian Games in Japan, with the national delegation preparing to compete across 23 disciplines at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Games.
The Asian Games will run from September 19 to October 4, bringing together more than 11,000 athletes from across Asia. Pakistan’s contingent comprises 234 athletes and team officials plus 12 central contingent officials, according to the announced delegation.
Pakistan Olympic Association senior vice-president Fatima Lakhani will serve as the country’s chef de mission.
Rather than travelling together, Pakistan’s athletes and officials will leave for Japan in different groups according to the competition schedules for their respective sports.
Arshad Nadeem Headlines Athletics Squad
One of Pakistan’s most prominent names at the Games is javelin star Arshad Nadeem, who is included in the athletics contingent.
Pakistan’s athletics roster also includes Ansar Abbas, Muhammad Yasir, Shajar Abbas, Khoula Omer Khan, Noreen Hussain and Faiqa Riaz.
Nadeem’s inclusion gives Pakistan one of its highest-profile medal prospects, although competition results should not be predicted as guaranteed outcomes.
Pakistan will also have representation across a broad range of individual and team sports.
Men’s and Women’s Cricket Teams Head to Japan
Cricket represents a significant part of Pakistan’s Asian Games campaign.
The men’s side includes Sahibzada Farhan, Abdul Samad, Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Haider Ali, Usman Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas and Sufyan Moqim, among others.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had earlier announced Sahibzada Farhan as captain and Abdul Samad as vice-captain. The men’s T20I competition begins on September 24, with medal matches scheduled for October 3.
Pakistan’s women’s cricket team will be led by Fatima Sana.
The 15-member squad includes Muneeba Ali, Aliya Riaz, Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sundhu, Gull Feroza, Ayesha Zafar and Shawaal Zulfiqar.
Pakistan’s women have significant Asian Games history, having won cricket gold medals at the 2010 and 2014 editions. They finished fourth at the previous Games.
Their 2026 campaign begins against Thailand in a quarter-final on September 17, ahead of the formal opening ceremony of the wider Games.
Hockey Among Pakistan’s Major Team Events
Pakistan will also send a sizeable men’s hockey squad.
The announced team includes Abdul Hannan Shahid, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Ghazanfar Ali, Abu Bakar Mahmood, Abdul Rehman, Sufyan Khan, Zikriya Hayat and Arshad Liaqat, among others.
Hockey holds a particularly important place in Pakistan’s Asian Games history, making the team’s performance one of the more closely watched parts of the national campaign.
Pakistan will also participate in kabaddi and volleyball, giving the country representation across several major team disciplines.
Strong Squash Representation
Pakistan has named eight squash players for the Games.
The men’s lineup comprises Hamza Khan, Ashab Irfan, Nasir Iqbal and Noor Zaman, while the women’s side features Mahnoor Ali, Mehwish Ali, Sehrish Ali and Sana Bahadar.
Squash is another discipline in which Pakistan has a significant sporting tradition, making the event an important part of the country’s medal campaign.
Shooting Team Features Kishmala Talat
Pakistan will also compete in shooting, with the contingent featuring Kishmala Talat, Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, Imam Haroon, Muhammad Farrukh Nadeem, Muhammad Shabbir, Muhammad Umer Farooq, Muhammad Uzman and Usman Chand in the published delegation.
Earlier team reporting identified events including skeet, trap, rapid-fire and pistol competitions.
Pakistan will additionally be represented in badminton, boxing, equestrian, esports, fencing, mixed martial arts, rowing, sailing, soft tennis, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, wrestling and wushu.
Aisam-ul-Haq, Aqeel Khan Included in Tennis
Veteran players Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan are part of Pakistan’s tennis contingent.
They are joined by Mahin Aftab Qureshi, Muhammad Shoaib, Muzammil Murtaza and Ushna Suhail.
In taekwondo, Pakistan’s delegation includes Shahzaib Khan and other athletes, while four wrestlers — Inayat Ullah, Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Gulzar and Noman Zaka — are listed for wrestling competition.
Esports Part of Pakistan’s 23-Sport Campaign
Pakistan will also compete in esports, reflecting the expansion of competitive gaming within major multi-sport events.
Eight esports athletes appear in the announced contingent, including Falak Sher Memon, Hasnain Rahman, Muhammad Huzaifa, Shayan Asad and Syed Sameer.
The overall Games programme has expanded with newer disciplines, contributing to a surge in registrations for Aichi-Nagoya.
Organisers say more than 17,000 athletes and officials, including roughly 11,000 athletes, registered for the Games.
Asian Games to Proceed Despite Nagoya Flooding
Pakistan’s delegation is preparing to arrive after heavy rainfall caused significant flooding in Nagoya this week.
Around 400 athletes and staff already staying in the city were temporarily evacuated from accommodation during record rainfall, while roads and public transport were disrupted.
However, Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said the Asian Games remained on schedule.
No major damage was reported at the competition venues, and the athletes and officials affected by the temporary evacuation were unharmed.
That is particularly relevant for incoming delegations, including Pakistan, as organisers continue final preparations.
More Than 11,000 Athletes Expected
The 20th Asian Games are expected to bring together more than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions, making the competition larger by athlete numbers than the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
The previous Asian Games were held in Hangzhou, China, in 2023.
Unlike a traditional single athletes’ village, Aichi-Nagoya organisers are using hotels and other forms of accommodation to house the unusually large number of participants. Organisers and the Olympic Council of Asia say accommodation has now been secured for all registered participants.
For Pakistan, the immediate focus is on getting its athletes to Japan according to their individual competition schedules and converting a broad 23-discipline presence into competitive performances.
The Pakistan Olympic Association has publicly declared that Team Pakistan is ready for the Games, which officially run from September 19 to October 4.
With 246 contingent members, prominent athletes including Arshad Nadeem, both men’s and women’s cricket teams, and significant representation in hockey, squash, shooting and combat sports, Pakistan will enter Aichi-Nagoya with one of its broadest sporting delegations of the current international calendar.
