21 June,2023 05:45 PM IST | Bengaluru | mid-day online correspondent
Blue Tigers (Pic: @IndianFootball/Twitter)
The Indian senior men's team will begin their SAFF Championship 2023 campaign against Pakistan in Group A at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
The other two teams from Group A, Nepal and Kuwait will clash in the opening match of the tournament at 3:30 pm IST. Group B, consisting of Lebanon, Bangladesh, Maldives and Bhutan, is set to begin on June 22.
Record eight-time champions India are out to defend the title they won in the Maldives in 2021 after beating Nepal 3-0 in the final. The SAFF Championship is being held in India for the fourth time, and they have won the trophy on each of the last three occasions as hosts (1999, 2011 and 2015).
With the inclusion of guest teams, Kuwait and Lebanon, the SAFF Championship is set to feature eight teams for the first time since 2013.
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India bagged a convincing 2-0 win over Lebanon in the Intercontinental Cup Final on Sunday evening. Stimac stated that although his side are content with how they've done, there's no time to dwell on that result or even overvalue the success in Bhubaneswar. The last time India faced Pakistan was in the semi-final of the 2018 SAFF Championship in Bangladesh, where the Blue Tigers emerged as 3-1 victors thanks to a brace from Manvir Singh and a goal from Sumeet Passi.
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Coached by Shahzad Anwar, Pakistan are yet to arrive in Bengaluru for Wednesday's clash, but Stimac feels it won't be a disadvantage for them as they have racked up a fair bit of match practice in the past week.
When will India vs Pakistan SAFF Championship encounter take place?
The India vs Pakistan SAFF Championship 2023 encounter will take place on June 21.
Where will India vs Pakistan SAFF Championship encounter take place?
The India vs Pakistan SAFF Championship 2023 encounter will take place at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.
What time will India vs Pakistan SAFF Championship encounter take place?
The India vs Pakistan SAFF Championship 2023 encounter will take place at 7:30 PM IST.
Which TV channel will broadcast the India vs Pakistan SAFF Championship 2023 encounter?
The India vs Pakistan SAFF Championship 2023 encounter will be broadcast on Doordarshan Sports.
Where to follow the live streaming of the India vs Pakistan SAFF Championship 2023 encounter?
The India vs Pakistan SAFF Championship 2023 encounter will be streamed live on the FanCode App and website.
