Officials have said that the players on Pakistan’s national team have been granted visas to enter India, where they will compete against the hosts on Wednesday in their first match on Indian territory since 2014.
The South Asia Football Federation (SAFF) Championship will get under way with a match between the two South Asian neighbors.
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Due to the long-standing political difficulties between the two nations, which were exacerbated by the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008, the two nations seldom compete against each other in their respective home stadiums in any sport.
As a result of Pakistan’s participation in the Bengaluru event, there is renewed optimism that Islamabad would take part in the ICC World Cup cricket competition that will be held by India later this year. Pakistan had previously indicated that it would not participate in the tournament.
“As devoted sportsmen, we understand the power of sports in transcending political boundaries and fostering strong relationships between nations,” Yousaf Butt, the captain of the Pakistani team, told AFP. “Sports has the ability to bring people together regardless of political affiliation.”
He was speaking from Mauritius, which is the location of a four-nation tournament in which Pakistan is taking part.
“Despite having had no sleep and suffering from jet lag, we will put in a worthy performance, and off the field, we will try to win hearts and ease the tension.”
The visas for the 32-person touring party weren’t delivered until late Monday night.
The most recent time Pakistan played football in India was in 2014, when they drew a two-match series. However, India and Pakistan competed against one another at the SAFF Championship in Bangladesh in 2018, when India emerged victorious by a score of 3-1.
Cricket is far more popular than football in both countries, despite football’s popularity.
In spite of the millions of dollars in income that might be generated through bilateral cricket matches, the teams have not competed on their own turf since 2012, when Pakistan traveled to India for five limited-overs matches.
The South Asian Football Federation Championship is set to get off on Wednesday, with Pakistan placed in Group A along with India, Kuwait, and Nepal. Group B includes Lebanon, the Maldives, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
The conclusion is slated for the 4th of July.