PCB announces Pakistan Shaheens squad for Rising Stars One-Day Asia Cup 2026, to face Tilak Varma's India A on November 22

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on November 3 announced the Pakistan Shaheens squad for the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026, which will be played in the One-Day format. 28-year-old Abdul Samad will lead Pakistan Shaheens in the tournament, which kicks off on November 19.

The 15-member squad features several Pakistan players who have played international cricket already. Hasan Nawaz, who scored 96 runs in a losing cause in the Asian Games 2026 final against India, has got a place in the side alongside Maaz Sadaqat. Other notable names in the squad are pacer Mohammad Hasnain, left-arm pacer Akif Javed and left-arm wrist spinner Sufyan Moqim.

Wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir, who last played a T20I in the Asian Games 2023 and is yet to make his ODI debut, has been included in the squad as well. 

Skipper Samad has played six ODIs so far and scored 66 runs at an average of 16.50. His previous ODI appearance was against Australia in June 2026. Pakistan team management may be looking at it as a tournament to test out the newer players in their ODI squad. 

Pakistan Shaheens are the defending champions in both formats of the Asia Cup Rising Stars. The last time the Asian tournament was played in the One-Day format was in 2023. In the final at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Mohammad Harris-led Pakistan Shaheens won by 128 runs against Yash Dhull's India A. From 2023, the only player in both Pakistan Shaheens squads is wrist spinner Moqim. From just three games, Moqim had claimed eight wickets at an average of 18.25.

Pakistan Shaheens squad for Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026

Abdul Samad (c), Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Danish Aziz, Farhan Yousaf, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Imran, Rohail Nazir (wk), Saad Masood, Shahzaib Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Sufyan Moqim.

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Pakistan Shaheens’ schedule for Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026

Pakistan Shaheens have been placed in Group B alongside United Arab Emirates, Nepal, and India A. They begin their campaign against UAE on November 20. The mouth-watering India-Pakistan clash will take place on November 22. Their last group stage match is against Nepal on November 24. The semifinals are scheduled to take place on November 26 and 27, followed by the final on November 29.

India A squad for Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026

Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Tilak Varma (c), Rajat Patidar (vc), Rinku Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshad Khan.

India A’s squad features a long list of players who have played international cricket as well. Abhishek, Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran, Kushagra, Shedge, Nigam, Kotian and Arshad are yet to make their ODI debuts. The only uncapped players in the side are Kushagra, Kotian, Nigam and Arshad. Abhishek, Prabhsimran and Rana had played in the previous One-Day edition of Rising Stars Asia Cup as well.

The last time the Indian side won the Rising Stars Asia Cup (aka ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup) was in the 2018 edition. The Jayant Yadav-led side included Prabhsimran in the squad. Jayant’s India A had beaten Shammu Ashan-led Sri Lanka Under-23 in the final by three runs.

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Golden chance for several players

Abhishek and Sooryavanshi have been backed as India's next-gen openers for ODIs by legendary Yuvraj Singh. Sooryavanshi had scored a match-winning knock in a tri-series on Sri Lankan soil. Abhishek will have a chance to prove his worth, especially after fixing the off-spin issue to a great extent. The tournament will be a major chance for Prabhsimran to stamp his authority. He wasn't at his best in the One-Day series against Australia A at home.

Tilak's leadership will be tested again. Middle-order batters Patidar and Rinku will make a case for their comeback to the ODI squad before next year's World Cup. Rana will return to action after his long absence from international cricket. It will be his first One-Day appearance since January 2026.

There will be focus on all-rounder Shedge as India search for the next pace-bowling all-rounders. There are plenty of other all-rounders in the side. Dubey, who took nine wickets in an innings in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2026-27 clash for Vidarbha against Madhya Pradesh.

Other spin-bowling all-rounders are Shahbaz and Nigam. The Rana-led pace attack is bolstered by Prince and Arshad.

Other squads for Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026 -

Afghanistan A squad - 

Imran Mir, Hassan Eisakhil, Darwish Rasooli, Faisal Shinozada, Bahir Shah, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, Nasser Khan Maroofkhil, Farmanullah Safi, Ikram Alikhil (c), Ishaq Rahimi, AM Ghazanfar, Qais Ahmad, Bilal Sami.

Bangladesh A, Hong Kong China, Sri Lanka A, UAE, and Nepal's squads for the tournament are yet to be announced. 

Full schedule for Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026