Pakistan Shaheens will defend their Asia Cup Rising Stars title under Abdul Samad after the Pakistan Cricket Board named the batter captain of a 15-member squad for the 50-over tournament in Doha, Qatar, from November 19 to 29.
Shaheens arrive as holders of both Rising Stars titles, according to ESPNcricinfo, so the defence carries extra weight in a group that includes India A. A win over India A on November 22 would also put Pakistan in a strong position to reach the semi-finals.
The board announced the squad on November 3, the Express Tribune reported, with Samad leading a batting core that includes Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Haider Ali, Shahzaib Khan, Farhan Yousuf and Shamyl Hussain. Rohail Nazir is the squad’s designated wicketkeeper, the Tribune added.
Mohammad Hasnain leads the pace attack, according to the Tribune, alongside Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed and Muhammad Imran Randhawa. Danish Aziz, Saad Masood and Sufyan Moqim provide the spin options, while ESPNcricinfo noted that Imran, Masood and Aziz were named as the squad’s three allrounders.
Samad has played six one-day internationals and eight Twenty20 internationals, ESPNcricinfo reported. Hasan Nawaz returned to Pakistan’s one-day side after a year’s gap during the recent tri-series, while Hasnain made his one-day debut in 2019. Yousuf and Shahzaib are the only two squad members yet to debut for Pakistan, ESPNcricinfo added.
Shaheens won the previous 50-over edition of the tournament in 2023, beating India A by 128 runs in the final in Colombo, Sri Lanka. They also won the most recent Twenty20 edition, edging Bangladesh A in a final decided by a super over, the Tribune reported.
Pakistan finished runners-up in the first two editions of the tournament, in 2013 and 2017, before winning it in 2019, according to the Tribune. Group A of the 2026 edition comprises Afghanistan A, Bangladesh A, Hong Kong, China and Sri Lanka A.
| Date | Match | Time (PKT) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 November | Pakistan Shaheens vs United Arab Emirates | 11:00 AM (day fixture) |
| 22 November | Pakistan Shaheens vs India A | 3:00 PM |
| 24 November | Pakistan Shaheens vs Nepal | 3:00 PM |
| 26 November | First semi-final | 3:00 PM |
| 27 November | Second semi-final | 3:00 PM |
| 29 November | Final | 3:00 PM |
Confirmed so far are the squad, the November 19 to 29 dates and Pakistan’s Group B opponents. The playing XI and the semi-final opponents are not yet known, since the top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals. Pakistan open their defence against the UAE on November 20.
