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British South Asian Football Stars Shine in 2025/26 Team of Season

Sky Sports Champions League •
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Nine players retained their places from last year as Sky Sports unveiled its 2025/26 British South Asians in Football Team of the Season, highlighting representation across every tier of the English pyramid and the Scottish Premiership. Jasbir Singh anchored the side in goal, keeping eight clean sheets as Tamworth vice-captain to secure a top-half National League finish.

The backline blends experience and breakthroughs. Asmita Ale earned a fourth straight selection after 21 Women's Super League starts for Leicester City, while Danny Batth rolled back the years for a Derby County side that finished eighth in the Championship, missing the play-offs on the final day. Kam Kandola played 38 matches to drive Kidderminster Harriers to promotion via the play-offs before joining Hereford, and Mal Benning made his 500th career appearance while helping Shrewsbury Town preserve their League Two status under Gavin Cowan.

Midfield showcases international milestones. Millie Chandarana became a two-time 'Invincible' as Burnley went unbeaten to win promotion to Women's Super League 2. Hamza Choudhury featured 32 times for Leicester City and scored on his Bangladesh home debut, while Zidane Iqbal became the first British South Asian to play at a World Cup, appearing in all three of Iraq's matches after a season spanning the Eredivisie and Europa League with FC Utrecht.

Up front, Yan Dhanda made 31 appearances on loan at Dundee to secure Scottish Premiership survival, Mariam Mahmood debuted for Pakistan before firing Wrexham to a historic league-and-cup double — the first Pakistani woman to win a top-division European title — and Dilan Markanday claimed Chesterfield's Player of the Year with eight goals and six assists as the Spireites narrowly missed the League Two play-offs. The XI underscores a community no longer confined to academy prospects but delivering at senior level across continents.