Pakistan Shaheens climbed to the top of Group B in the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 after a commanding eight-wicket victory over India A in Doha on Sunday. The star of the match was all-rounder Maaz Sadaqat, who first impressed with a two-wicket spell and then sealed the chase with a brilliant unbeaten half-century. His all-round heroics ensured Pakistan wrapped up the match inside just 14 overs.
Batting first at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium, India A got off to a fiery start thanks to opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He began with a boundary on the very first ball and continued to attack aggressively, picking up where he left off in the previous match. His partner Priyansh Arya, however, could not capitalize on his start and fell early. Naman Dhir joined the charge with a quick 35 off 20 deliveries as India ended the powerplay strongly at 50/1.
Despite the explosive start, India A faltered after reaching 93/3 at the halfway stage. What seemed like a platform for a big total quickly turned into a collapse as wickets tumbled in clusters. From a promising position, India A were bundled out for just 136 in 19 overs. Shahid Aziz led the Pakistani bowling attack with 3/24, while spinners Saad Masood and Sadaqat chipped in with two wickets each to suffocate the Indian lineup.
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Pakistan’s chase was off to a blistering start, with openers Mohammad Naeem and Maaz Sadaqat attacking from the very first over. Sadaqat, in particular, showed complete dominance, taking on every bowler he faced. He smashed boundaries at will — including an 18-run over off Gurjapneet Singh — and maintained an aggressive tempo that kept Pakistan well ahead of the required run rate throughout the chase.
The left-hander brought up his half-century in just 31 balls before continuing to dismantle India A’s bowling attack. He finished unbeaten on a magnificent 79 off 47 deliveries, decorated with seven fours and four sixes. Pakistan reached 137/2 comfortably, extending their unbeaten streak in the tournament. For India A, only Yash Thakur and Suyash Sharma managed to pick up a wicket each in an otherwise forgettable bowling performance.