Indian Football Team will quickly transfer its emphasis to Bangalore to compete in the SAFF Championship 2023 after the Intercontinental Cup 2023 is over. In the group stage, Sunil Chhetri and co will kick off with India vs Pakistan. After resolving a few obstacles with their travel to India, the Pakistan Football Team would indeed compete in the event.
The competition is being held in India for the first time in eight years, and all participating teams are from the South Asian Football Federation. Even though they may be far behind India in the FIFA rankings, they will be motivated to play their best game to upset their most hated opponents.
SAFF Championship 2023 LIVE Streaming to be available on Fancode
Due to internal football disputes, Pakistan withdrew from the 2015 SAFF Championship, which was played in India, although they advanced to the 2018 edition’s semifinals. Due to a FIFA suspension, The Men in Green were unable to compete in the previous edition, which was hosted in the Maldives in 2021.
The 28 member team for Pakistan includes up to nine players who were born abroad. Five players were born in Denmark, and four were born in the UK. Otis Khan, Hassan Bashir, Abdul Samad, A Iqbal, Yousuf Butt, Harun Hamid, Easah Suliman, Rahis Nabi, and Adnan Muhammad are among these participants.
The addition of players like former England U20 player Easah Suliman, former Burnley youth player Rahis Nabi, and former Manchester United youngster Otis Khan is the highlight of the 28-man probable team. Let us take a look at the players to watch out for.
Pakistan Football Team to arrive in Bengaluru TODAY, No change in SAFF Championship…
Otis Khan:
Otis Khan, a product of the Manchester United youth academy, has played his entire football career in England. He has represented Sheffield United, Barnsley, Yeovil Town, and currently Grimsby Town in EFL League Two.
Khan had a strong season, scoring six goals and providing two assists in 39 games, including two goals in the FA Cup. With his clinical finishing, tricky style, and ability to deliver dangerous crosses, the 27-year-old left-winger aims to trouble opponents and contribute significantly to the Falcons’ goal-scoring in the SAFF Championship.
Abdul Samad Arshad:
Arshad, a Denmark-born Pakistani international, recently acquired Pakistani citizenship to represent the national team. He began his youth career at Boldklubben 93 and later joined top-tier Danish club HB Koge. The 22-year-old forward played 15 matches for them last season, scoring three goals.
While he is versatile in the attacking line, his best position is on the left wing. Arshad’s speed and diverse skills make him a nightmare for defenders, although he needs to improve his end product. Nevertheless, his presence adds excitement to the Pakistani Falcons’ play, particularly during counter-attacks.
Rahis Nabi:
Rahis Nabi made his debut for the Pakistan national team, known as the Men in Green, on June 6, 2019, in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Cambodia. His brothers Samir Nabi and Adil Nabi are also footballers, with Samir being part of the Bahrain squad that faced Cambodia.
Currently, Rahis, 24 years old, plays as a number ten for Redditch United. India could potentially benefit from a similar approach of tapping into the talent pool and foreign exposure, but the obstacle lies in India’s criteria for dual citizenship rather than FIFA or football-related concerns.
Easah Suliman:
Suliman, who initially represented England in various youth levels, recently decided to play for Pakistan due to his British Pakistani heritage. Having emerged from the Aston Villa youth academy, the 25-year-old is a versatile defender capable of playing in the center of defense or as a defensive midfielder. Currently, he is with Portuguese club Vitoria de Guimaraes, but on loan to Vilafranquense in the Portuguese second division.
Suliman possesses a commanding presence at the back, demonstrating good game reading abilities and a willingness to get physical when necessary. Although he lacks experience playing for Pakistan or in Asia, he brings valuable knowledge gained from competing in highly competitive environments.
In order to prevent Pakistan from potential disappointment in the SAFF Championship, Suliman must be at his absolute best and deliver dominant performances that validate the Pakistan Football Federation’s decision to bring him into the national team.
Pakistan Men’s Squad for 2023 SAFF Championship
Goalkeepers: Saqib Hanif, Salman ul Haq, Abdul Basit and Yousaf Ijaz Butt.
Defenders: Muhammad Umar Hayat, Ali Khan Niazi, Muhammad Sufyan, Muhammad Umer Saeed, Mamoon Moosa Khan, Syed Abdullah Shah, Haseeb Ahmed Khan, Sardar Wali, Sohail, Easah Suliman and Abdullah Iqbal.
Midfielders: Alamgir Ali Khan Ghazi, Ali Uzair Mahmood, Moin Ahmed, Shayak Dost, Muhammad Waleed Khan, Rahis Nabi, Harun Arrashid Faheem Hamid, Umair Ali and Muhammad Adnan Yaqoob.
Forwards: Abdul Samad Shahzad, Otis Jan Mohammad Khan, Hassan Naweed Bashir and Muhammad Waheed.
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