Last Update: May 17, 2023, 13:31 IST
Igor Stimac and the Indian Men’s Football Team (AIFF)
India was paired with Pakistan for the SAFF Championship 2023, which will be held in Bengaluru from June 21 to July 4.
Hosts India were on Wednesday drawn along with Pakistan, India, Nepal and tournament invitees Kuwait in Group A of the 2023 SAFF Championship to be held in Bengaluru from June 21 to July 4.
Lebanon is another invitee in Group B along with Maldives, Bhutan and Bangladesh in Wednesday’s draw in New Delhi.
SAFF Championship 2023 Draw:
Group A – India, Kuwait, Nepal and Pakistan
Group B – Lebanon, Maldives, Bhutan and Bangladesh
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Lebanon and Kuwait, which are not geographically in South Asia, were invited to participate in the 2023 edition to give the championship a more competitive edge.
Sri Lanka is not participating due to the fact that they are serving suspension from world governing body FIFA, while Afghanistan left SAFF to join the Central Asian Football Federation.
Pakistan is returning to the SAFF after failing to make it to two tournaments out of the 13 editions held since 1993. The Pakistan Football Federation could not send its team for the 2015 edition held in India due to internal issues. The country missed out on the 2021 edition as they were serving suspension from FIFA. The suspension was lifted last year.
India is the record winner of the regional tournament, having won the SAFF Championship eight times. Maldives, however, are the defending champions and have won the title twice, while Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have won the trophy once each.
Lebanon and Kuwait, which are not geographically in South Asia, were invited to participate in the 2023 edition to give the championship a more competitive edge.
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In 32 India-Pakistan meetings, India has won 19 while Pakistan has won only on five occasions.
The last time India beat Pakistan on a football field was in the semi-finals of the 2018 SAFF Championship, which India won 3–1.
As for Nepal, the Indian men’s football team won their eighth title by defeating them 3-0 in the 2021 final.
When India last met Kuwait, it was an international friendly match in 2010 and lost 1-9.
(more to follow…)
