The Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025

The Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025, rebranded from the erstwhile ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, kicks off on November 14, 2025, promising a T20 spectacle that could unearth the continent’s next Rashid Khan, Babar Azam, or Jasprit Bumrah. This isn’t just a competition; it’s a launchpad for under-23 and developmental squads, where raw talent collides with tactical nous under floodlights, all in the quest to crown Asia’s rising champions.Organized by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the 2025 edition marks a fresh chapter for a tournament that began in 2013. Past winners—India U-23 in the inaugural edition, Sri Lanka U-23 in 2017 and 2018, Pakistan A in 2019-20, and defending champions Afghanistan A in 2024—set a high bar. With eight teams divided into two groups, the format is crisp: each side plays three group matches, the top two advance to semifinals on November 21, and the grand finale unfolds on November 23. All 15 T20Is will be hosted at Doha’s West End Park International Cricket Stadium, a venue known for its balanced pitches that reward aggressive strokeplay early and spin wizardry in the death overs.The narrative? Rivalry reignited. India A and Pakistan A, fresh off the senior Asia Cup’s geopolitical tensions, share Group B, with their blockbuster clash slated for November 16—a fixture that could draw millions of eyeballs worldwide. Defending champs Afghanistan A, led by the seasoned Sediqullah Atal, lurk in Group A as favorites to repeat. But don’t sleep on the associate sides: UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong, qualifiers from the 2024 ACC Men’s Premier Cup, bring grit and unpredictability, much like their senior counterparts did in September’s Asia Cup.

The Contenders: Teams and Groups

The eight teams represent a blend of full-member developmental squads (India A, Pakistan A, Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan A) and associate powerhouses (UAE, Oman, Hong Kong). Here’s the breakdown:

India A enters as moral favorites, boasting IPL-proven firepower under Jitesh Sharma’s captaincy. Pakistan A, with the explosive Rohail Nazir at the helm, eyes revenge. Afghanistan A, the 2024 victors who stunned Sri Lanka A in the final, will lean on their spin arsenal. Sri Lanka A, captained by the versatile Dunith Wellalage, brings batting depth, while Bangladesh A promises fiery pace. The associates—Oman (Hammad Mirza), UAE (Riyan Mohammed), and Hong Kong (Baber Hayat)—could spring surprises with their all-round adaptability.

The Battle Plan: Full Schedule

The group stage runs from November 14 to 19, with double-headers on most days (all times IST). Semis pit Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up and vice versa, before the final. Expect dew to play a role in evening games, favoring chasers.

This schedule ensures no team plays back-to-back, allowing recovery in the sweltering Qatari November. The India A vs Pakistan A showdown at noon IST could be the tournament’s marquee moment—think six-hitting frenzy under a relentless sun.The Talent Arsenal: Full SquadsSquads blend youth with experience, with many players already IPL or international-tested. Standby players are noted where available. Here’s the complete roster for each team:

India A

(Captain: Jitesh Sharma; Vice-Captain: Naman Dhir; Wicketkeepers: Jitesh Sharma, Abishek Porel)
Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Nehal Wadhera, Suryansh Shedge, Ramandeep Singh, Harsh Dubey, Ashutosh Sharma, Yash Thakur, Gurjapneet Singh, Vijay Kumar Vyshak, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Suyash Sharma.
Standby: Gurnoor Brar, Kumar Kushagra, Tanush Kotian, Sameer Rizvi, Shaik Rasheed.
Key Watch: 14-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who could open the innings with fireworks.

Pakistan A

(Captain: Rohail Nazir; Vice-Captain: Haider Ali; Wicketkeepers: Rohail Nazir, Hasan Mohsin)
Haider Ali, Saud Shakeel, Khushdil Shah, Tayyab Abbas, Qasim Akram, Mubasir Khan, Jahandad Khan, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Mehran Mumtaz, Saim Ayub, Hasan Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Haris.
Key Watch: Saim Ayub, the aggressive opener blending power with finesse.

Afghanistan A

(Captain: Sediqullah Atal; Vice-Captain: AM Ghazanfar; Wicketkeepers: Sediqullah Atal)
Sediqullah Atal, Zubaid Akbari, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah Kamil, Qais Ahmad, AM Ghazanfar, Zahir Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Yamin Ahmadzai, Karim Janat, Abdul Malik, Sharafuddin Ashraf.
Key Watch: Qais Ahmad, the leg-spin sensation returning from last year’s triumph.

Sri Lanka A

(Captain: Dunith Wellalage; Vice-Captain: Sahan Arachchige; Wicketkeepers: Nishan Madushka)
Dunith Wellalage, Vishen Halambage, Nishan Madushka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lasith Croospulle, Ramesh Mendis, Kavindu de Livera, Sahan Arachchige, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Pramod Madushan, Garuka Sanketh, Isitha Wijesundara, Milan Rathnayake, V Viyaskanth, Traveen Mathew.
Key Watch: Dunith Wellalage, the all-round maestro steering a balanced unit.

Bangladesh A

(Captain: Akbar Doty; Vice-Captain: Tanzid Hasan; Wicketkeepers: Jaker Ali)
Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Parvez Hossain Emon, Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Akbar Doty, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Rejaur Rahman Raja.
Key Watch: Towhid Hridoy, the elegant middle-order anchor.

UAE

(Captain: Riyan Mohammed; Vice-Captain: Vriitya Aravind; Wicketkeepers: Vriitya Aravind)
Riyan Mohammed, Vriitya Aravind, Tanish Suri, Ansh Tandon, Nilansh Keswani, Harshit Kaushik, Zahoor Khan, Karthik Meiyappan, Zeeshan Naseer, Ali Naseer, Muhammad Jawad, Aryan Lakra, Ronak Panoly, Zawar Farid.
Key Watch: Vriitya Aravind, the dynamic keeper-batter eyeing upsets.

Oman

(Captain: Hammad Mirza; Vice-Captain: Jatinder Singh; Wicketkeepers: Hammad Mirza, Sufyan Yousaf)
Hammad Mirza, Zikria Islam, Wasim Ali, Hassnain Shah, Muzahir Raza, Shafiq Jan, Jay Odedra, Sufyan Yousaf, Aryan Bisht, Samay Shrivastava, Shuaib Al Balushi, Pruthvikumar Macchi, Ubaid Ullaha, Jatinder Singh.
Key Watch: Jatinder Singh, the veteran opener providing stability.

Hong Kong

(Captain: Baber Hayat; Vice-Captain: Nizakat Khan; Wicketkeepers: Aizaz Khan)
Baber Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Anshuman Rath, Aizaz Khan, Ehsan Khan, Yasim Murtaza, Ahan Trivedi, Nasrulla Rana, Adil Mehmood, Zuhair Ahmed, Raunaq Sharma, Ayush Shukla, Manjinder Singh, Muhammad Ghazi.
Key Watch: Baber Hayat, the explosive all-rounder leading the charge.

Why This Tournament MattersBeyond the stats and sixes, the Rising Stars Asia Cup is cricket’s nursery. It’s where 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi might share a dressing room with IPL veterans like Ashutosh Sharma, forging bonds that define careers. For fans in India, tune in via Sony Sports Network or stream on Sony LIV—every boundary could signal the birth of a legend.As the first ball is bowled on November 14, Doha won’t just host a tournament; it’ll nurture the pulse of Asian cricket. Who will rise? India A for redemption? Pakistan A for rivalry’s sake? Or an underdog stealing the show? One thing’s certain: the stars are aligning, and the future looks electric.Follow live updates on ESPNcricinfo and ACC’s official channels. All squads subject to final confirmation.