Pak women drawn with India in SAFF Football

KARACHI: Pakistan have been bracketed with old rivals India in the forthcoming South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Championship.

The multi-nation event will take place from September 6-19 in Nepal. The seven competing teams have been divided into two groups.

Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Maldives are placed in group A while hosts Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan are in group B.

It must be noted here that Pakistan women football team will feature in an international event after eight years.

FIFA restored Pakistan's international membership last month after Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)'s charge was given to Normalisation Committee (NC) led by Haroon Malik.

After the FIFA suspension was lifted, NC announced that women's team will participate in SAFF Championship. In this regard, 61 women footballers were called for trials in Islamabad (July 26), Lahore (July 28), and Karachi (July 29).

The probables will be shortlisted on the basis of trials. The first training camp for the selected players is expected in first week of August.