Representative image. Zairon, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Why it matters
India and Pakistan rarely play each other outside multi-nation events, so even an A-team match draws a big audience. The tournament is also a shop window for young Indian players hoping for a senior call-up, and two of India A's games will count as official List A matches in their records.
Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026 will put India A and Pakistan A in the same group, with the two sides meeting on 22 November in Doha, Qatar. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which runs cricket in the region, announced the fixtures on 24 October: eight teams, two groups, and 11 days of cricket from 19 to 29 November.
India A schedule at the Asia Cup Rising Stars, in IST
India A are in Group B with Pakistan A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They open against Nepal on 20 November, face Pakistan A two days later and finish the group against the UAE on 24 November, the news agency Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) reported from the ACC announcement.
The ACC gave start times in Doha local time. Qatar is two and a half hours behind India, so NewsPlainly has converted them for Indian viewers:
| Date | Match | Doha time | India time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Nov | India A vs Nepal | 1 pm | 3.30 pm |
| 22 Nov | India A vs Pakistan A | 1 pm | 3.30 pm |
| 24 Nov | India A vs UAE | 9 am | 11.30 am |
| 26 and 27 Nov | Semi-finals | Times not yet given | |
| 29 Nov | Final | Time not yet given | |
Pakistan A play the UAE on 20 November and Nepal on 24 November, while Nepal and the UAE meet on 22 November, the same day as the India and Pakistan game.
Who else is in the India A vs Pakistan A tournament
Group A has Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong, China. Each group is a single round robin, so every side plays the other three once, and the top two from each group go through to the semi-finals.
The four Full Members, the countries that play Test cricket, send their A teams, which are second-string squads used to test players on the edge of national selection. The three Associate members, Nepal, the UAE and Hong Kong, China, will field their senior national sides. They qualified through the ACC Men’s Premier Cup held in Malaysia in July.
That mix creates an unusual detail on match status. Any game between Nepal or the UAE and a Full Member A side will count as official List A cricket, the term for recognised one-day matches that go into players’ career records. Both of India A’s games against Nepal and the UAE will therefore enter the record books, while Nepal against the UAE will be a full One Day International (ODI). Games involving Hong Kong, China against the A sides still need ACC approval for List A status, IANS reported.
Matches will be played at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium and the University of Doha for Science and Technology ground, with the Qatar Cricket Association as host.
Why India vs Pakistan in the Rising Stars draws attention
Any India and Pakistan game, even at A level, draws a large audience, and the two boards meet mainly at ACC and International Cricket Council (ICC) events rather than in bilateral series. The 22 November game will be the marquee fixture of the group stage.
Pakistan A, who play under the name Pakistan Shaheens, are the defending champions. Doha also hosted last year’s first edition of the event, and Pakistan won the title by edging Bangladesh A in a Super Over, a one-over tie-breaker, in the final, according to IANS.
The fixture also lands in a busy month for Indian cricket. The senior men’s team is in New Zealand, where it went 2-0 up in the T20I series on 24 October, as NewsPlainly reported. The India A selection has not been announced.
What to watch before 19 November
The main pending item is the India A squad and captain, which the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has not announced. Broadcast details for India have also not been confirmed by the ACC so far. The semi-final line-up depends on the group tables, and the ACC has not yet published which group positions meet in each semi-final. A second India A and Pakistan A game this month is possible only if both reach the knockouts.
Frequently asked questions
When is India A vs Pakistan A in the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026?
On 22 November 2026 at 1 pm Doha time, which is 3.30 pm in India, according to the ACC fixtures.
Where is the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026 being played?
In Doha, Qatar, at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium and the University of Doha for Science and Technology ground.
Who are in India A's group?
Pakistan A, Nepal and the UAE are in Group B with India A.
Who won the last Asia Cup Rising Stars?
Pakistan A, also called Pakistan Shaheens, won the first edition in Doha by beating Bangladesh A in a Super Over in the final.