New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) Left-handed batter Tilak Varma has been named captain of a strong 15-member India 'A' team for the ACC Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup competition, to be held in Oman from October 18-27. Namboori Thakur Tilak Varma, who hails from Hyderabad in Telangana, got his maiden call-up for the Indian cricket team for the T20I series on the tour of West Indies.

Apart from Mumbai Indians batter Varma, who’s played four ODIs and 16 T20Is for India, the squad also features capped T20I players like left-handed batting all-rounder Abhishek Sharma (eight T20I caps), left-arm spinner R. Sai Kishore (three T20I caps) and leg-spinner Rahul Chahar (one ODI and six T20I appearances).

Various Indian Premier League (IPL) performers like all-rounders Ayush Badoni, Ramandeep Singh and Hrithik Shokeen, wicketkeeper-batter Anuj Rawat, batters Prabhsimran Singh and Nehal Wadhera, pacers Vaibhav Arora, and Rasikh Salam have been included.

Young performers in domestic cricket like all-rounder Nishant Sindhu, a member of India’s 2022 U19 World Cup-winning team, along with pace all-rounder Anshul Kamboj and fast-bowler Aaqib Khan have been given a look-in as well.

Eight teams will participate in the tournament with four teams divided into two groups. All matches will take place at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground in Muscat.

India ‘A’ are in Group B alongside Pakistan Shaheens, Oman and the UAE, while Group A consists of Afghanistan ‘A’, Bangladesh ‘A’, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka ‘A’.

India ‘A’ began their campaign against Pakistan Shaheens on October 19, followed by facing UAE and Oman on October 21 and 23 respectively. The top two sides from each group will qualify for the semi-finals scheduled to take place on October 25, followed by the final happening on October 27.

India ‘A’ squad: Tilak Varma (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Ramandeep Singh, Anuj Rawat, Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Anshul Kamboj, Hrithik Shokeen, Aaqib Khan, Vaibhav Arora, Rasikh Salam, R. Sai Kishore and Rahul Chahar.

India A's fixtures:

Oct 19: vs Pakistan Shaheens

Oct 21: vs United Aran Emirates

Oct 23: vs Oman

Oct 25: semifinals

Oct 27: Final