Cricket fans are already circling their calendars as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announces the details for the Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship 2025, which will once again see Pakistan and India renew their cricketing rivalry.
The rebranded tournament will be played in the T20 format and will be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 14 to 23.
The tournament, previously known as the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, will feature eight teams, primarily focusing on developing the next generation of Asian cricketing talent. The five Test-playing nations—India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan—will participate with their ‘A’ teams, while UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong will field their full-strength national sides.
The eight teams have been divided into two groups:
Group A: Pakistan A, India A, UAE, and Oman.
Group B: Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, Afghanistan A, and Hong Kong.
In a significant format change from the senior Asia Cup, the Rising Stars Championship will not feature a Super Four stage. Instead, the top two teams from each group will advance directly to the semi-finals, making every group match crucial.
All eyes at this year’s Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship will be on the match between Pakistan and India. Despite the bad blood between the two nations, they have once again been placed in the same group, which means they will square off at least once, while a second meeting in the final remains a possibility.
| Date | Team | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| 14th November | Pakistan A | Oman |
| 16th November | Pakistan A | India A |
| 18th November | Pakistan A | UAE |
Afghanistan A will enter the 15-match tournament as the defending champions, having won the last edition of the Emerging Asia Cup.
The focus now shifts to the respective cricket boards as they finalise their promising young squads for this premier regional development tournament in Qatar.