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Pakistan Shaheens Name Maaz Sadaqat, Hasan Nawaz for Rising Stars Asia Cup

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Pakistan Shaheens Name Maaz Sadaqat, Hasan Nawaz for Rising Stars Asia Cup
Photo: Pakistan Shaheens batter Maaz Sadaqat plays a shot during the Rising Stars Asia Cup match at the West End Park in Doha on November 16, 2025.—Courtesy Asian Cricket Council

Maaz Sadaqat and Hasan Nawaz have been selected for the 15‑member Pakistan Shaheens squad for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026. Abdul Samad will captain the 50‑over tournament, which will take place in Qatar from 19 to 29 November. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced the squad on Tuesday. The Shaheens are defending the title they won in the 2023 50‑over edition and are also the reigning champions of the T20 version, having beaten Bangladesh A in a final decided by a Super Over.

The eight‑team tournament will feature two groups of four. Pakistan have been placed in Group B with India A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates; Group A contains Afghanistan A, Bangladesh A, Hong Kong China and Sri Lanka A. The Shaheens will open their campaign against the UAE on 20 November, then play India A on 22 November and Nepal on 24 November. The first match will be held at the University of Doha Science and Technology ground, with the remaining group fixtures at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium. All three group matches are day‑night fixtures except the opening game, which will be played during the day. Semi‑finals are scheduled for 26 and 27 November, with the final on 29 November.

Samad will lead a batting group that includes Maaz, Hasan, Haider Ali, Shahzaib Khan, Farhan Yousuf and Shamyl Hussain. Rohail Nazir has been named the designated wicket‑keeper. The squad also contains three spin options: left‑arm spin all‑rounder Danish Aziz, leg‑spinner Saad Masood and Sufyan Moqim. The pace attack will be led by Mohammad Hasnain and will also feature Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed and Muhammad Imran Randhawa. Daniyal was part of the Shaheens side that won the previous T20 edition, playing a key role as the team clinched the title against Bangladesh A in a Super Over.

Pakistan won the last 50‑over edition in Sri Lanka in 2023, beating India A by 128 runs in the final. They were runners‑up in the opening two editions in 2013 and 2017 before winning the competition in 2019. The Shaheens will aim to retain their title against a field that includes several of the region’s emerging sides, with a meeting against India A among the key fixtures in the group stage.

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