The Asian Cricket Council has announced the full schedule for the Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026, and the fixture that will draw the most attention is already fixed. Pakistan A will face India A on November 22 in Qatar, in a group match that brings together two of the strongest emerging sides in Asian cricket. The tournament will run from November 19 to 29 in Doha, and Pakistan A enter it as defending champions after winning the 2025 edition, which was also held in Qatar. For a competition designed to showcase the next generation, that title defence, and that date, give the event an early focal point.
This year’s tournament will be played in the 50 over format, a change from the 2025 edition, which used the 20 over format. That shift matters for how teams will be judged. A 50 over match tests a young batter’s ability to build an innings, a young bowler’s ability to return for later spells, and a captain’s ability to manage a long game. It also brings the Rising Stars event closer to the demands of senior one day cricket, where patience and game awareness matter as much as power hitting. For Pakistan A, who won last year in the shorter format, the change means the defence of the title will not simply repeat last year’s formula. The squad will need players who can adapt to longer innings and to the middle overs, where many 50 over matches are decided.
Eight teams will take part, divided into two groups of four. Group A includes Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong. Group B consists of Pakistan A, India A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates. 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, which will keep the tournament moving quickly and leave little room for a slow start. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, scheduled for November 26 and 27, and the final will take place on November 29.
The matches 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 begin their campaign against the United Arab Emirates on November 20, before facing India A on November 22 at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium. They will then face Nepal in their final group stage match on November 24. That order gives Pakistan A a first match to settle into the tournament, then the high profile meeting with India A, then a final group game that could decide qualification for the semifinals. If the group is tight, that last match against Nepal could carry real pressure, especially if net run rate or head to head results come into play.
The November 22 date will inevitably dominate discussion in the build up, and it should be seen in that wider context. It is a group match, not a final, and both teams will still have a group game to play after it. A win would put the victor in a strong position for the semifinals, but a loss would not end either side’s tournament. What it will do is provide a clear, early measure of where Pakistan’s emerging players stand against one of their toughest regional rivals, in a format that rewards discipline over a full day. For fans, it is a fixture to mark on the calendar. For the players, it is a chance to show that they belong at the next level.
