Abdul Samad will captain defending champions Pakistan Shaheens in the 50-over ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026, to be played in Qatar from Nov. 19 to 29. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the 15-member squad on Tuesday.

Shaheens are in Group B with India A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They open against UAE on Nov. 20, face India A on Nov. 22 and Nepal on Nov. 24. The semi-finals are on Nov. 26 and 27, and the final is on Sunday, Nov. 29.

All of Shaheens’ matches are day-night at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium, except the opener, a day game at the University of Doha for Science and Technology Ground. Group A has Afghanistan A, Bangladesh A, Hong Kong China and Sri Lanka A.

Apart from Samad, the batting core comprises Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Haider Ali, Shahzaib Khan, Farhan Yousuf and Shamyl Hussain, with Rohail Nazir as the designated wicketkeeper.

Hasan and Maaz come from the senior side that won the home tri-nation series. Samad scored an unbeaten 69 in the President’s Trophy to help Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited beat Khan Research Laboratories and avoid relegation, adding 58 for the seventh wicket with Mohammad Imran Randhawa, who is also in the squad.

Of the 15 players, only Shahzaib Khan has not represented Pakistan at the international level, though he played in the ACC U19 Asia Cup and the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup earlier this year.

Left-arm spin all-rounder Danish Aziz, leg-spinner Saad Masood and Sufyan Moqim are the spinners. Mohammad Hasnain leads the pace attack, which also has Ahmed Daniyal, Shaheens’ super-over hero from the previous edition, left-arm pacer Akif Javed and Imran Randhawa. Hasnain played his 15th and last ODI in February 2025 and his 28th and last T20I in December 2024.

Shaheens won the last 50-over edition in 2023 in Sri Lanka, beating India A by 128 runs. In the previous edition, played in the T20 format, they clinched the title by edging Bangladesh A in a super-over final. Pakistan were runners-up in the first two editions, in 2013 and 2017, and won in 2019.

Pakistan Shaheens squad: Abdul Samad (captain), Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Danish Aziz, Farhan Yousuf, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Rohail Nazir (wk), Saad Masood, Shahzaib Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Sufyan Moqim

Pakistan Shaheens fixtures

Nov. 20 – 11 a.m. PKT – v United Arab Emirates, University of Doha for Science and Technology Ground
Nov. 22 – 3 p.m. PKT – v India A, West End Park International Cricket Stadium
Nov. 24 – 3 p.m. PKT – v Nepal, West End Park International Cricket Stadium
Nov. 26 – 3 p.m. PKT – first semi-final, West End Park International Cricket Stadium
Nov. 27 – 3 p.m. PKT – second semi-final, West End Park International Cricket Stadium
Nov. 29 – 3 p.m. PKT – final, West End Park International Cricket Stadium