Abdul Samad to captain Pakistan Shaheens at Asia Cup Rising Stars in Doha

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member Pakistan Shaheens squad for the ACC Men's Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship 2026. Middle-order batter Abdul Samad has been appointed captain of the side. The tournament will be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 19 to 29.

Pakistan go into the event as defending champions. According to Business Recorder, this is the 50-over edition of the tournament. The eight-team competition is divided into two groups, and the top two sides from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

Pakistan have been placed in Group B, where they will play India A, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Nepal. The Nation Sports and Business Recorder both reported that the squad announcement came from Lahore.

The Shaheens begin their campaign against the UAE on November 20. They will then face India on November 22, and their last group-stage match is against Nepal on November 24. The knockout matches will be played on November 26 and 27, and the final is scheduled for November 29.

In the batting department, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat and Haider Ali have been selected, along with Shahzaib Khan, Farhan Yousuf and Shamyl Hussain. These players will bat alongside captain Abdul Samad. Rohail Nazir has been named as the wicketkeeper in the squad.

Mohammad Hasnain will lead the pace attack, and he will be supported by Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed and Muhammad Imran Randhawa. The spin department includes Danish Aziz, Saad Masood and Sufyan Muqeem.

Taken together, the squad has the captain, six other batters, one wicketkeeper, four fast bowlers and three spinners, making up the 15 players announced by the board for the defence of the title in Qatar.