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Star batsman Tilak Varma will lead a strong India A squad at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup to be held in Doha from Nov 19- 29, the BCCI announced on Monday. Hard-hitting batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, is also part of the squad that is in Group B alongside the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Nepal, and Pakistan A. World number one batsman in T20s, left-handed Abhishek Sharma will likely partner Sooryavanshi at the top for India in the 10-day tournament was won by Pakistan last year. Group A comprises Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong, China. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for Nov 26 and 27. The final will take place on Nov 29. Doha is set to become the epicenter of continental cricket as the Qatar Cricket Association (QCA) rolls out the red carpet for the Asian Rising Stars Cup. Action gets underway at the state-of-the-art West End International Cricket Ground and the Doha University of Science and Technology Stadium, where eight formidable sides begin their quest for silverware. The competition brings together an exciting mix of powerhouse reserve squads and rising international contenders. Group 1 features Pakistan (Shaheen), India (A), Nepal, and the United Arab Emirates, while Group 2 boasts Sri Lanka (A), Bangladesh (A), Afghanistan (A), and Hong Kong (China). While four of Asia's most prominent nations deploy their promising 'A' teams, squads like Nepal and the UAE earned their hard-fought stripes through stellar qualification runs at the Asian Men's Elite Cup in Malaysia. The tournament roars to life on November 19 with a pair of opening fixtures as Bangladesh (A) locks horns with Hong Kong at the Doha University of Science and Technology Stadium, while Sri Lanka (A) battles Afghanistan (A) across town at the West End International Cricket Ground. The group battles heat up quickly on November 20 when Pakistan (Shaheen) takes on the UAE and India (A) faces Nepal, followed the next day by clashes between Sri Lanka (A) and Hong Kong, and Bangladesh (A) versus Afghanistan (A). All roads lead to the West End International Stadium on November 22, however, when the cricket world pauses for the most anticipated fixture of the group stage: Pakistan (Shaheen) versus India (A). Steeped in fierce historical rivalry and drawing immense global interest, this blockbuster showdown promises fireworks. Meanwhile, the UAE and Nepal will lock horns at the Doha University of Science and Technology Stadium on the very same day. Following further group action on November 23, the preliminary stage reaches its crescendo on November 24 with high-stakes encounters between India (A) and the UAE, and Pakistan (Shaheen) and Nepal, sealing the fate of the four teams advancing to the knockout rounds. The road to the championship narrows significantly on November 26 and 27, as the West End International Cricket Ground hosts the semi-finals, pitting Group 1's winner against Group 2's runner-up, and vice versa. Finally, the ultimate battle for glory unfolds on November 29, when the two semi-final victors collide on the grand stage to crown the new champion of the Asian Rising Stars Cup. India A squad for Rising Stars Asia Cup Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh [WK], Tilak Varma [C], Rajat Patidar [VC], Rinku Singh, Kumar Kushagra [WK], Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshad Khan 

The Qatar Cricket Association (QCA) will be playing hosts to the upcoming Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Rising Stars Asia Cup, earlier the Emerging Teams tournament, to be played in Doha from November 14 to 23 at the West-End International Cricket Stadium.The T20 event will feature eight teams India A, Pakistan A, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Oman, UAE, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka. In this new format, full member nations will field their A teams, while associate nations will field their main teams.QCA said the tournament will be open to public with ticketed entry.Meanwhile, Jitesh Sharma has been named captain of the India A squad and Naman Dhir has been appointed his deputy. The selectors have also included 14-year-old IPL sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the squad.Pakistan A and Oman will kick off the tournament, with the showpiece India A vs Pakistan A match slotted for November 16. The teams are divided into two groups: Group A has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka, while Group B has India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE.This will be the first cricketing exchange between the men's teams of India and Pakistan since the senior Asia Cup in September, though the senior women's teams faced off at the ODI World Cup earlier this month.ACC Rising Stars Tournament Schedule:Nov 14 - Oman vs Pakistan; India A vs UAENov 15 – Bangladesh vs Hong Kong; Afghanistan vs Sri LankaNov 16 - Oman vs UAE; India A vs Pakistan ANov 17 – Hong Kong vs Sri Lanka; Afghanistan vs BangladeshNov 18 – Pakistan A vs UAE; India A vs OmanNov 19 - Afghanistan vs Hong Kong; Bangladesh vs Sri LankaNov 21 - Semi-finals: A1 vs B2; B1 vs A2Nov 23 - Final.