The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026, which will be played in Qatar from November 19 to 29. Abdul Samad will lead the defending champions, with several established batting options in the squad.
The 50-over matches will take place at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium and the University of Doha for Science and Technology Cricket Ground. The tournament will feature A teams from full-member nations and associate sides that qualified through the ACC Men’s Premier Cup.
Pakistan Shaheens Name Abdul Samad Captain in 15-Member Squad
The PCB announced the squad on November 3. Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Haider Ali, Shahzaib Khan, Farhan Yousaf and Shamyl Hussain have been included in the batting line-up. Rohail Nazir will serve as the designated wicketkeeper.
Left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Danish Aziz, leg-spinner Saad Masood and Sufyan Moqim have been added. Mohammad Hasnain will lead the pace attack, which also includes Ahmed Daniyal, left-arm pacer Aaqif Javed and Imran Randhawa.
Pakistan Shaheens 15-member squad: Abdul Samad (captain), Ahmed Daniyal, Aaqif Javed, Danish Aziz, Farhan Yousaf, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Hasnain, Imran Randhawa, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Saad Masood, Shahzaib Khan, Shamyl Hussain and Sufyan Moqim.
Pakistan have been placed in Group B alongside India A, Nepal and the UAE. Group A features Afghanistan A, Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A and Hong Kong, China. The tournament will follow a single round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
Shaheens to Face India A on November 22 in Key Group B Clash
The defending champions will begin their campaign against the UAE on November 20 at the University of Doha for Science and Technology Cricket Ground. The match will be played during the day, while their remaining group fixtures will take place under lights at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan Shaheens will face India A on November 22 before taking on Nepal on November 24. The semi-finals will take place on November 26 and 27, with both matches scheduled for 3 pm PKT at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium. The final will also be held at the same venue on November 29.
Some matches involving Nepal and the UAE will carry official List-A status. The Nepal vs UAE fixture will be recognized as an official ODI. The competition brings together the A teams of five full-member nations, along with the four associate sides.
Pakistan Shaheens Look to Extend Asia Cup Rising Stars Dominance After Consecutive Titles
Pakistan Shaheens enter the 2026 competition as defending champions in both the 50-over and T20 formats of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars. They won the previous 50-over edition in Sri Lanka in 2023 after defeating India A by 128 runs in the final.
The Shaheens also won the most recent T20 edition, edging past Bangladesh A in a closely fought final that went into a Super Over. Ahmed Daniyal played a key role in that dramatic finish.
The side has a strong record in the competition. They finished runners-up in the first two editions in 2013 and 2017 before winning the 2019 tournament. Their consecutive titles in the 2023 50-over edition and the previous T20 competition have further strengthened their record ahead of the latest campaign.
Also read: India A squad for Rising Stars Asia Cup: Rajat Patidar gets leadership, Rinku Singh returns
