India's and Pakistan's fans carry their national flags as they wait for the Asia Cup cricket final between India and Pakistan to begin at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (AP File Photo)
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has announced the schedule for the 2026 Rising Asia Cup in Doha, with India A and Pakistan A drawn in the same group alongside Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The two sides will face each other on November 22 at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium.India A will open their campaign against Nepal on November 20 before taking on Pakistan A two days later. They will play their final group-stage match against the UAE on November 24.
Rising Asia Cup 2026: Groups and format
Eight teams have been divided into two groups for the tournament. Group A features Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong, China, while Group B comprises India A, Pakistan A, Nepal and the UAE.Each team will play the other three sides in its group in a single round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for November 26 and 27. The final will be played on November 29.
Teams generally field their 'A' sides in the Rising Asia Cup. In the 2025 edition, Jitesh Sharma captained India A, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also part of the squad.The West End Park International Cricket Stadium will host most of the tournament's matches, including the final.
The remaining games will be played at the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) Cricket Ground, which will host the opening match on November 19.
How India A fared in the 2025 Rising Asia Cup
India A began their 2025 campaign with a 148-run win over the UAE in their opening Group B match in Doha. Batting first, India scored 297/4 in 20 overs before restricting the UAE to 149/7.
However, India A lost their next match against Pakistan A by eight wickets.
After being bowled out for 136, they watched Pakistan chase down the target in just 13.2 overs.India A recovered with a six-wicket win over Oman in their final group-stage match, reaching the target with 13 balls to spare. The victory secured their place in the semi-finals, where they faced Bangladesh A.Bangladesh scored 194/6 in 20 overs in the semi-final, and India A finished with the same total, forcing a Super Over. Bangladesh won the tie-breaker to knock India out of the tournament.Pakistan A went on to win the title after beating Sri Lanka A by five runs in the second semi-final. The final against Bangladesh A also ended in a tie, with both teams scoring 125. Pakistan A eventually won the Super Over to lift the trophy.