India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet twice in Asian cricket tournaments in November 2026, with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) confirming a November 22 encounter between India A and Pakistan Shaheens in the Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship in Doha, Qatar.
The ACC announced the schedule for the eight-team tournament on Saturday, confirming that the competition will run from November 19 to 29 across two venues in Doha. The fixture adds to an already scheduled India–Pakistan U19 Asia Cup meeting in Oman on November 8.
Last edition was a blockbuster and Qatar is ready for another round of fireworks 🧨
𝐓𝐡𝐞 #𝐃𝐏𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐂𝐮𝐩𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝟏𝟗 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 ⭐
#ACC https://t.co/rCZGF9JCYI
— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) October 24, 2026
The two matches will bring together emerging players from both countries at different stages of their development, with the Rising Stars Championship providing an additional platform for cricketers seeking to establish themselves at the senior international level.
India A and Pakistan Shaheens to meet on November 22
India A and defending champions Pakistan Shaheens will face each other at the West End International Cricket Stadium in Doha on November 22.
The two teams have been drawn in the same four-team group alongside Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), setting up a group-stage meeting before the tournament moves into its knockout phase.
Pakistan Shaheens will begin their title defence against the UAE on November 20 at the University of Doha for Science and Technology Cricket Ground.
India A will open their campaign against Nepal later that day at the West End International Cricket Stadium.
Both teams will complete their group-stage commitments on November 24, when India A take on the UAE and Pakistan Shaheens face Nepal.
The tournament format also leaves open the possibility of another India–Pakistan encounter in the final on November 29, provided both teams progress through the group stage and win their respective semi-finals.
Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship 2026 schedule and format
The championship will feature eight teams divided into two groups of four, with five ICC Full Members represented by their A teams.
Alongside India A and Pakistan Shaheens, Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A and Afghanistan A will compete in the tournament. Nepal, the UAE and Hong Kong, China complete the eight-team field.
Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong form the other group.
The competition will begin on November 19, with Bangladesh A facing Hong Kong at the University of Doha for Science and Technology Cricket Ground and Sri Lanka A meeting Afghanistan A at the West End International Cricket Stadium.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for November 26 and 27.
Both semi-finals and the November 29 final will be staged at the West End International Cricket Stadium.
The tournament’s two venues are the University of Doha for Science and Technology Cricket Ground (UDST) and the West End International Cricket Stadium (WEICS).
India and Pakistan U19 teams to clash in Oman on November 8
Before the A-team encounter in Qatar, India and Pakistan will meet in the U19 Asia Cup in Oman on November 8.
The youth tournament is scheduled to run from November 5 to 14, creating two separate India–Pakistan fixtures within a fortnight across ACC competitions.
Among the Indian players attracting attention ahead of the U19 tournament are Aaryavir Sehwag and Anvay Dravid, sons of former India internationals Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid, respectively.
Aaryavir made his U19 debut in September 2026, while both young cricketers have attracted interest through their performances at the age-group level.
The U19 Asia Cup and Rising Stars Championship serve different stages of the regional development pathway, with the former focused on youth cricket and the latter providing opportunities for emerging senior-level players.
Pakistan Shaheens defend title as India A seek second crown
Pakistan Shaheens enter the Rising Stars Championship as defending champions, adding another competitive dimension to their November 22 meeting with India A.
India have won the competition once since its introduction in 2013, when it was known as the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup. Their only title came in the inaugural edition.
The tournament has since developed into a recurring competition for emerging cricketers from across Asia, bringing together A teams from established cricket nations and senior-level representatives from other participating members.
For the ACC, the November schedule places two prominent India–Pakistan fixtures across its youth and emerging-player competitions, while the Doha event provides a further opportunity for participating boards to assess players beyond their established senior international squads.
