Kathmandu: The very promise of an India-Pakistan clash in the sporting arena is always a mouth-watering prospect, no matter which the discipline is. There is one in the offing on Thursday when India take on Pakistan in the Group A league tie of the SAFF Women’s Championship 2024 at the iconic Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu.
The stadium has been the stage for countless memorable sporting moments; the battle on Thursday will be yet another feather in its cap.
The match will also be a glorious moment in the dazzling career of seasoned Blue Tigresses defender and skipper Ashalata Devi, who will become India’s first woman footballer to play 100 international matches. Ashalata is all focused on the game and has set her goals.
“Our first match is against Pakistan, and it’s a crucial one for us. The first game always sets the tone, and if we start strong, we can approach the rest with a bit less pressure. It’s always exciting to face a team like Pakistan. We have a lot of respect for them. They have grown as a unit. Last time, we won against them, but we are not taking them lightly. They are motivated, prepared well and will surely put up a good fight,” felt Ashalata.
“I feel the competition is much stronger this year, with all the teams making significant improvements. Everyone is dreaming of winning the trophy like us. But this year, we are confident we can bring it home,” said Ashalata in a press conference,
The last meeting between the two sides came in September, 2022, in the SAFF Women’s Championship at the same venue resulting in a comprehensive 3-0 victory for India.
Never having lost to Pakistan before, India will come into this match as favourites, with a balanced squad having a mixture of young and senior players who have gained international exposure. The team will look to keep the pressure on Pakistan’s defence and aim to maintain their perfect record against Pakistan.
For Pakistan, the focus will be on resilience and putting up a much stronger fight than in previous encounters against India. With players like Maria Khan leading the charge and Nadia Khan, who will make a comeback after a year from her injury, will definitely be no pushovers.
Skipper Maria Khan is an experienced midfielder, who plies her trade for Saudi Arabian pro side Eastern Flames. Two other Pakistan players, goalkeeper Rumaysa Khan and striker Isra Khan, play in Canada and the United States, respectively.
Pakistan Head coach Adeel Rizki said, ”I think it will be an interesting match, India have prepared well. They have a new coach as well, so they have new strategies, we don’t know what to expect. It’s a good rivalry. We respect them in terms of how they play and what they’ve done in the past. On the other hand, we have done well and have grown a lot from last time. We hope we can perform and have a good game against India tomorrow.”
(IANS)
