Asia Cup Rising Stars Winners List (2013–2026) – PAK A Won

Pakistan emerged as the winners of the Asia Cup Rising Stars after defeating Bangladesh A in the final.

Afghanistan had taken the 2024 title in their first attempt, beating Sri Lanka in Oman. Pakistan won back-to-back editions in 2019 and 2023, while Sri Lanka ruled in 2017 and 2018.

India grabbed the inaugural edition in Singapore back in 2013. This tournament keeps churning out players who later end up representing their countries in international cricket and major franchise leagues.

What follows is the full history of champions and what made each edition worth remembering.

All Past Winners Of Asian Cup Rising Stars: 2013-2026

The tournament moved from Under-23 restrictions to an A-team format in 2023, opening doors for fringe international players alongside emerging talents.

Year	Winner	Runner Up
2025	Pakistan A	Bangladesh A
2024	Afghanistan A	Sri Lanka A
2023	Pakistan A	India A
2019	Pakistan U23	Bangladesh U23
2018	Sri Lanka U23	India U23
2017	Sri Lanka U23	Pakistan U23
2013	India U23	Pakistan U23

Six editions have produced varying champions, with Sri Lanka and Pakistan each taking two titles before Afghanistan broke through in 2024.

1. 2025 – Pakistan A

Pakistan Shaheens took home the 2025 title in Doha after a final that felt more like a movie script than a cricket match. Both sides ended on 125, and the trophy came down to a Super Over that Pakistan controlled from the very first ball.

Ahmed Daniyal stepped into the spotlight when it mattered most. He bowled the Super Over with complete clarity, gave away just six runs, and removed both Bangladesh batters for ducks. That left the chase small and manageable. Maaz Sadaqat and Saad Masood finished the job without any fuss, securing Pakistan’s third overall title in the tournament’s history.

Sadaqat ended the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 235 runs, which earned him the Player of the Tournament award. Bangladesh A had entered the final with confidence after beating India A in a Super Over in the semifinal, but they couldn’t repeat the miracle against a Pakistan side that stayed unbeaten right through their Qatar campaign.

1. 2024 – Afghanistan A

Sediqullah Atal averaged 122.66 across five matches, racking up 368 runs while striking at 147.8. He passed fifty in every single innings.

The final against Sri Lanka followed the same script. Ten players from this squad had already worn Afghanistan’s senior colours, including Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar and Bilal Sami, who shared twelve wickets between them in four matches.

Ghazanfar has represented Afghanistan across all formats since debuting last year. Afghanistan won the tournament despite losing to Hong Kong in the group stage, which made the triumph feel less predictable than it might have been.

2. 2023 – Pakistan A

Tayyab Tahir hammered 108 runs off 71 balls to push Pakistan to 352 for 8, which became the highest final total in tournament history. Sufiyan Muqeem, making his List A debut earlier in the tournament, delivered a match-winning spell with his left-arm wrist spin.

He mixed ripping wrong’uns with sharp leg breaks. Pakistan bundled India out for 224, winning by 128 runs at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium.

Tayyab had struck a dazzling half-century on PSL debut in February and made his T20I debut against Afghanistan in March that same year. The gap between his franchise debut and international appearance was remarkably short.

3. 2019 – Pakistan U23

Pakistan posted 301 for 6 in the final at Mirpur, with Rohail Nazir scoring 113 off 111 balls. Bangladesh were dismissed for 224 in 43.3 overs, giving Pakistan a 77-run victory. Saud Shakeel led the side to their first Emerging Teams Asia Cup title.

Both finalists remained undefeated until the title match, with Pakistan defeating India by three runs in a nerve-wrecking semifinal on November 20th. Pakistan successfully chased down targets through the knockout stages before setting a winning total in the final.

Rohail was exceptional throughout the tournament, and his century in the final settled any lingering doubts about Pakistan’s superiority.

4. 2018 – Sri Lanka U23

Sri Lanka defended 270 for 7 against India, winning by three runs in Colombo as Hasitha Boyagoda struck 54 and Kamindu Mendis scored 61. Asela Gunaratne took 3 for 38 to restrict India to 267 for 9.

Mendis earned Player of the Series with 310 runs and crucial wickets. The tournament was co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with India’s matches played in Colombo following political tensions that prevented the BCCI from sending players to Pakistan.

Sri Lanka’s second consecutive title came down to the final delivery, which made it feel more earned than their previous year’s triumph.

5. 2017 – Sri Lanka U23

Sri Lanka chased down 134 with five wickets and 157 balls remaining at Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Captain Angelo Perera led his team to their first tournament title.

Pakistan collapsed to 133 all out in 42.1 overs, with off-spinner Shehan Jayasuriya claiming 3 for 22 and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga taking 2 for 13.

Sadeera Samarawickrama smashed 45 off 42 balls with eight boundaries before the middle order wobbled at 98 for 5, but Kithruwan Vithanage and Hasaranga steadied the chase.

Charith Asalanka was the standout performer with 338 runs throughout the Bangladesh-hosted edition. The margin of victory suggested dominance, but Sri Lanka had struggled at 98 for 5.

6. 2013 – India U23

KL Rahul hammered an unbeaten 93 off 107 balls as India chased down 160 in just 33.4 overs at Kallang Ground in Singapore. Captain Suryakumar Yadav contributed two wickets while Baba Aparajith claimed 3 for 28 to dismiss Pakistan for 159 in 47 overs.

Rahul featured in an unbroken second-wicket stand of 132 runs with Manprit Juneja, who scored 51 off 77 deliveries.

The squad included Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, and Harshal Patel. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan featured for Pakistan in that final. Looking back now, the final reads like a who’s who of modern cricket.

What Is The Next Step For The Asia Cup Rising Stars Winners?

Suryakumar Yadav captained India back in 2013, and these days, you can barely imagine a T20I team sheet without his name on it. KL Rahul went from that same squad to opening the batting in every format India plays, eventually wearing the captain’s armband himself.

Then there’s Jasprit Bumrah. He was there in 2013, too, and look where he ended up. You could make a case that he’s the finest Indian bowler of his generation. Tayyab Tahir offers a more recent example.

His brilliant showing in 2023 came just months after he’d made his PSL debut in February and earned his first T20I cap against Afghanistan in March.

In 2023, Tilak Varma captained the Indian side. Abhishek Sharma, too. Ayush Badoni and Nehal Wadhera rounded out a group that had already tasted franchise cricket.

A player shines here, gets picked up by a domestic league, earns a franchise deal, and eventually catches the eye of national selectors when the performances pile up.

Conclusion: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, & India Have Each Claimed Tournament Victories Across Six Editions!

The Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament has grown into one of the most important platforms for upcoming players in Asian cricket. Pakistan added another title in 2025, Afghanistan made history in 2024, and Sri Lanka and India have produced champions of their own in earlier editions.

The shift to the A-team format in 2023 opened doors for more experienced domestic players while still giving young talent a strong stage to perform. Bangladesh have come close more than once, and their run to the 2025 final showed how competitive the tournament has become.

Every edition brings new names, new match-winners, and new stories. Many of these players later step into World Cups, Champions Trophies, and major T20 leagues. The tournament continues to do exactly what it was designed for — to find the next group of stars who will carry Asian cricket forward.

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