Lahore :The first-ever Central South Asian 7s Rugby Championship, sanctioned by World Rugby under the CASA Rugby Alliance, will be held in Tashkent on 16-17 May 2026. Teams from Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan will participate in the tournament.
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The CASA Rugby Alliance was jointly established through the efforts of the rugby unions of Pakistan and India to promote rugby across the region. The alliance currently consists of 11 member nations, including participating countries along with Bangladesh, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Iran. This championship marks the first-ever Rugby Sevens event under the CASA Rugby Alliance.
According to Salman Muzaffar Shaikh, Secretary of the Pakistan Rugby Union, the national squad has officially been announced and will depart from Lahore for Tashkent on 15 May.
The Pakistan Rugby Union recently appointed Kashif Khawaja as head coach, and he has prepared the team thoroughly for the competition.
All six teams will compete against each other in the championship. Muhammad Mudassir has been named captain, while Umair Khan will serve as vice-captain.
The squad also includes Aamir Shahzad, Anjum Sajjad, Mohsin Raza, Muhammad Aqib Siddiqui, Abbas Bangash, Muhammad Haroon, Faiq Shahzad, Muhammad Afzal, Touqeer Ali and Muhammad Irfan.
Salman Muzaffar Shaikh expressed confidence in the team, stating that a strong squad has been selected for this historic tournament. He added that Pakistan will face some of the region’s top rugby nations and is hopeful of delivering an impressive performance in the championship, where the team will play five pool matches.
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He also praised the collective efforts of Asian rugby nations in forming the CASA Rugby Alliance, saying the initiative will create greater opportunities for rugby development across the 11 member countries and continue to strengthen the sport in the region in the future.