Key Takeaways
- Fatima Sana, captain of Pakistan's women's cricket team, and Noor Zaman, a rising squash star, will lead the national contingent.
- The opening ceremony of the 20th Asian Games will take place on September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
- Pakistan will field 246 athletes across 23 disciplines at the multi-sport event.
Pakistan has named Fatima Sana, the captain of its women's cricket team, and Noor Zaman, a rising squash star, as the flag bearers for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) announced the selection on September 16, 2026, stating that the two athletes will lead the national contingent into the ceremony on September 19.
The 20th Asian Games, which will run from September 19 to October 4, will see Pakistan field 246 athletes across 23 disciplines, including cricket, squash, hockey, athletics, and esports.
The event is expected to attract a larger number of participants, with the overall figure expected to rise from 15,000 to around 17,000.
Unlike previous editions, organizers have not set up a conventional athletes' village. Temporary container-style accommodation has instead been arranged for some athletes and officials, while others will stay in hotels.
Some participants are also expected to be housed in Tokyo, and around 4,000 to 5,000 athletes are reportedly set to stay aboard the Costa Serena cruise ship, which docked off the coast of Nagoya on Tuesday and is expected to remain there until October 4.
The POA statement emphasized that the duo will carry the Pakistan flag as the Flag Bearers of the Pakistan Contingent at the Opening Ceremony of the 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
