Pakistan vs India Asian Games 2026: Full Squad Comparison
For the first time in Asian Games history, Pakistan and India will both have men’s cricket squads at the same edition of the Games. It has never happened before. India skipped the 2010 and 2014 editions entirely. Pakistan was absent when India won gold in 2023. In 2026, both boards have entered teams for Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and the cricket world has noticed.
Whether the two sides actually meet on the field depends on the group draw and how far each team progresses. But even before a ball is bowled, the two squads tell two very different stories.
Pakistan has gone young, sending four uncapped players and handing the captaincy to Sahibzada Farhan for the first time. India has gone almost full strength, defending their 2023 gold with a squad built around Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer as new T20I captain, and 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
This is not a typical squad-versus-squad piece. It is a look at two boards using the same tournament for completely different reasons.
Squad Comparison: Pakistan vs India
| # | Pakistan (Asian Games 2026) | India (Asian Games 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sahibzada Farhan (c) | Shreyas Iyer (c) |
| 2 | Abdul Samad (vc) | Tilak Varma (vc) |
| 3 | Abrar Ahmed | Abhishek Sharma |
| 4 | Ahmed Daniyal | Sanju Samson (wk) |
| 5 | Akif Javed | Ishan Kishan (wk) |
| 6 | Ali Raza | Shivam Dube |
| 7 | Arafat Minhas | Nitish Reddy |
| 8 | Haider Ali | Axar Patel |
| 9 | Hasan Nawaz | Washington Sundar |
| 10 | Maaz Sadaqat | Varun Chakravarthy |
| 11 | Salman Mirza | Ravi Bishnoi |
| 12 | Saad Masood | Harshit Rana |
| 13 | Saim Ayub | Arshdeep Singh |
| 14 | Sufyan Moqim | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi |
| 15 | Usman Khan (wk) | Jasprit Bumrah |
Head-to-Head: Pakistan vs India at the Asian Games
There is no head-to-head record between Pakistan and India in Asian Games cricket. The reason is simple. The two countries have never both been part of the men’s cricket event at the same time.
Head-to-Head Pakistan vs India T20I
| Format | Record |
|---|---|
| Total T20Is Played | 13 |
| India Wins | 9 |
| Pakistan Wins | 3 |
| No Result | 1 |
| Last Meeting | India Won |
Cricket at the Asian Games: A Quick History Timeline
Cricket has been part of the Asian Games men’s program four times, including 2026.
2010, Guangzhou (China): Bangladesh won gold. India did not participate. Pakistan competed.
2014, Incheon (South Korea): Sri Lanka won gold. India again did not send a team. Pakistan competed.
2018, Jakarta-Palembang (Indonesia): Cricket was dropped from the program entirely.
2023, Hangzhou (China): Cricket returned after nine years. India sent a full-strength squad for the first time and won gold under Ruturaj Gaikwad, beating Afghanistan in a final that ended in no result due to rain, with India topping the group unbeaten. Pakistan did not participate.
2026, Aichi-Nagoya (Japan): A 10-team men’s T20I event. For the first time, both Pakistan and India have entered squads.
The pattern is clear. India treated the Asian Games as optional for over a decade. The 2023 gold changed that calculus, and now India is approaching 2026 as a title defence with a squad that includes a current international fast bowler in Jasprit Bumrah.
India vs Pakistan Players Face-Offs to Watch
Ali Raza vs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
One of the most exciting young player battles of the tournament. Pakistan’s emerging fast bowler Ali Raza could face India’s teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in a contest between two future stars.
Saim Ayub vs Varun Chakravarthy
Saim Ayub’s aggressive batting will be tested by Varun Chakravarthy’s mystery spin. This battle could play a key role in deciding the middle overs.
Abrar Ahmed vs India’s Top Order
Pakistan’s lead spinner Abrar Ahmed faces a tough challenge against India’s explosive top order, including Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Sanju Samson.
Sahibzada Farhan vs Jasprit Bumrah
The marquee contest of the match. Record-breaking batter Sahibzada Farhan takes on Jasprit Bumrah, widely regarded as one of the best T20 bowlers in world cricket.
Read More: Pakistan Asian Games 2026 Squad: Is This the 2028 T20 World Cup Blueprint?
Is There a Pakistan vs India Match Scheduled at the 2026 Asian Games?
As of now there is no scheduled Men’s T20 match between Pakistan and India at the 2026 Asian Games. But both teams are expected to enter the tournament as seeded sides, meaning they will not face each other in the opening stages.
A Pakistan vs India clash can only happen if both teams progress through their respective groups and eventually meet in the Super 8s, semi-finals, or a medal match. Until the official schedule and tournament pathway are confirmed, any potential meeting remains a possibility rather than a certainty.
However, the prospect of a Pakistan vs India encounter remains one of the biggest talking points surrounding the cricket competition. If the two sides do meet, it would mark their first-ever men’s cricket clash at the Asian Games and instantly become one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament.
FAQs
Have Pakistan and India ever played each other at the Asian Games in cricket? No. India did not send a cricket team to the 2010 or 2014 Asian Games, and Pakistan did not participate in 2023 when India won gold. 2026 is the first edition where both countries have entered squads, making a Pakistan vs India match a genuine first if the draw allows it.
Who is the captain of India’s Asian Games 2026 squad? Shreyas Iyer is India’s T20I captain for the Asian Games 2026, replacing Suryakumar Yadav, who has not been selected for this squad.
Who is the youngest player across both squads? Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of India, at 15 years old, is the youngest player in either squad. Ali Raza, Pakistan’s 18-year-old fast bowler, is the youngest in Pakistan’s squad.
Is India defending a gold medal at Asian Games 2026? Yes. India won the men’s cricket gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou under Ruturaj Gaikwad, beating Afghanistan in a rain-affected final. India enters 2026 as the defending champion.
How many uncapped players does each squad have? Pakistan has four uncapped T20I players: Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat, and Saad Masood. India has effectively one, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, though he is already a recognised name through the IPL.
