Key Takeaways
- Pakistan A and India A will compete in the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026 on November 22 in Qatar.
- The 50-over tournament will feature eight teams divided into two groups.
- Pakistan A will play their opening match against the UAE on November 20.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has announced the complete schedule for the Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026, with Pakistan A set to face India A on November 22 in Qatar.
The tournament, which will take place from November 19 to 29, will be played at two venues in Doha: the West End Park International Cricket Stadium and the University of Doha for Science and Technology Cricket Ground.
Pakistan A will enter the competition as defending champions, having won the 2025 edition, which was also held in Qatar.
Eight teams will participate, divided into two groups of four. Group A includes Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, Afghanistan A, and Hong Kong, while Group B consists of Pakistan A, India A, Nepal, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Each team will play the other three teams in its group once, with 12 matches scheduled in the opening round from November 19 to 24. Two matches will be played each day.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, scheduled for November 26 and 27. The final will take place on November 29.
Pakistan A will begin its campaign against the UAE on November 20 before facing India A on November 22 at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium.
The 2026 competition will be the second edition under the Asia Cup Rising Stars name and the eighth edition overall, including tournaments previously held under the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup title.
Unlike the 2025 edition, which followed the 20-over format, this year’s tournament will feature 50-over matches.
