SAFF Championship 2023: Rivalry heats up as India face Pakistan

The last time these two sides faced was in SAFF Championship 2018.

After a successful Hero Intercontinental Cup Campaign where India emerged as the champions for a record second time, the focus now shifts to the 2023 SAFF Championship. From Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru, the Blue Tigers will be keen to hit the ground running and continue their momentum.

LIVE UPDATES: INDIA VS PAKISTAN

First up, the Blue Tigers will face off against arch rivals and neighbours Pakistan at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. Both sides will come up against each other after a very long time with the last fixture dating back to September 2018.

Ahead of the match, let us take a look at how things stand.

The Stakes

India

The stakes for India are indeed very high. They come into the tournament on the back of a very good run of form which includes a successful Hero Intercontinental Cup campaign. The Blue Tigers will be looking to add more wins and goals to their tally but will have to be careful against the Pakistani Falcons.

https://youtu.be/JQgIq6Ic7C8

Be it football or cricket, a match against Pakistan always unites the nation and is a must win no matter what. The Blue Tigers would want to improve their already good looking head-to-head matchup against Pakistan come Wednesday. Moreover, India will also look to defend their crown.

Pakistan

The scenario is not different for Pakistan either. It’s more than just about three points, it’s about fighting for pride and so much more. Although the Pakistani Falcons came into the tournament after a very disappointing 4-Nation Cup tournament in Mauritius where they ended up on the losing side in all three matches.

But, Pakistan have to find their reason to believe because despite their low ranking in comparison to India, they can harm the Blue Tigers. Expect them to be tough and give India an even tougher time on the pitch.

Injury & Team News

Ishan Pandita has left the national team setup due to an injury. Apart from him, India are expected to have a fully fit squad. And for Pakistan too, there are no injury concerns as such.

Head-to-Head

India has an upper hand in the head-to-head record against Pakistan.

Games played – 26

India wins – 13

Draws – 10

Pakistan wins – 3 (Source: 11v11.com)

Predicted Starting XI

India (4-2-3-1)

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Nikhil Poojary, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Akash Mishra, Jeakson Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Sunil Chhetri, Naorem Mahesh Singh

Pakistan (4-4-2)

Yousuf Butt (GK), Mamoon Moosa Khan, Muhammad Sufyan Asif, Abdullah Iqbal, Ali Khan Niazi, Otis Khan, Ali UzairMahmood, Easah Suliman, Rahis Nabi, Harun Hamid, Hassan Bashir 

Players to Watch

Laillianzuala Chhangte (India)

Chhangte was in red hot form for India in the Hero Intercontinental Cup. Often referred to as India’s Golden Boy, Chhangte has so far lived up to his tag. After a successful Indian Super League campaign with Mumbai City FC, the winger brought in the same energy and hard work into the national teams and executed it with perfection.

His pace coupled with his dribbling skills makes him an invaluable asset for Igor Stimac’s side. Moreover, his versatility to play on either wing is also an added advantage. He finished the Hero Intercontinental Cup with two goals and an assist in four games and guided India to a dream finish.

Otis Khan (Pakistan)

Pakistan’s young gun Otis Khan has been in the English football circuit for quite some time now. A Manchester United academy graduate, Otis Khan is undoubtedly one of the players to watch out for at the 2023 SAFF Championship. 

He has been a part of Sheffield United, Barnsley, Yeovil Town and currently represents EFL League Two side Grimsby Town. Khan comes into the tournament after having a good season with the Mariners where he found the back of the net six times, including two in the FA Cup, and also provided two assists. He will surely be a huge threat for India on the left flank.

Did You Know?

• India have a greater H2H record against Pakistan.
• Pakistan last won a game in 2018.
• Sunil Chhetri scored his first international goal against Pakistan in 2005.

Telecast

The match between India and Pakistan will kick off at 7:30 PM IST at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. The match will be streamed live on FanCode. Telecast will be available on DD Sports.