Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026: The India A-Pakistan A rivalry will return to the spotlight in Doha next month, with the two sides set to meet in the ACC Men's Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026 on November 22. The tournament runs from November 19 to 29 and features eight teams competing for the title, with the final scheduled for November 29.

India A have been placed in Group B alongside Pakistan A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates. Their campaign begins against Nepal on November 20, followed by the much-anticipated Pakistan A fixture two days later. India A will then complete their group-stage matches against the UAE on November 24.

India A vs Pakistan A On November 22: Match Details

India A will face Pakistan A on November 22 at 1 pm local time in Doha. The contest is among the key fixtures of the group stage, with both teams aiming to secure a place in the knockout rounds.

India A's opening match against Nepal is scheduled for November 20 at 1 pm local time. Their final group-stage assignment, against the UAE, will begin at 9 am local time on November 24.

Pakistan A will begin their campaign against the UAE on November 20 before taking on India A on November 22. They will round off their group fixtures against Nepal on November 24. Nepal and the UAE are also scheduled to meet on November 22.

ACC Men's Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026: Groups

The eight participating teams have been divided into two groups of four.

Group A: Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, Afghanistan A, Hong Kong, China

Group B: India A, Pakistan A, Nepal, United Arab Emirates

Each team will play the other sides in its group once. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, keeping every group-stage fixture important in the race for a last-four place.

Full Tournament Schedule And Timings

The group-stage matches will be played from November 19 to 24. The semi-finals are scheduled for November 26 and 27, with the championship match set for November 29.

The Qatar Cricket Association will host the tournament at two venues: West End International Cricket Stadium and the University of Doha for Science and Technology ground.

Nepal, Hong Kong, China and the UAE qualified through the ACC Men's Premier Cup held in Malaysia in July. The three Associate teams will field their senior national sides, while matches involving Nepal or the UAE against Full Member A teams will carry official List A status. India A's fixtures against both Nepal and the UAE will therefore count as List A matches, as will the Nepal-UAE contest.

The List A status of Hong Kong, China's matches against A teams remains subject to approval from the Asian Cricket Council.

Pakistan A Return As Defending Champions

Pakistan A, known as Pakistan Shaheens, will enter the competition as defending champions after winning the 2025 edition in Doha. They defeated Bangladesh A in a Super Over in last year's final.

With India A and Pakistan A drawn in the same group, their November 22 meeting will be one of the tournament's major attractions. Both sides will need consistent performances across the group stage to progress to the semi-finals and keep their title hopes alive.