India beats Pakistan 3-2 to begin SAFF Championship title defence
Suhail Ahmad Bhat and Manglenthang Kipgen scored as India survived a late surge from Pakistan in Dhaka.
India defeated Pakistan 3-2 in their opening Group B match of the SAFF Championship 2026 at the National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday, according to reports by The Indian Express and Mint.
Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored two goals for India, while Manglenthang Kipgen added a third. Pakistan's Shayak Dost missed a penalty during the first half.
Pakistan scored twice in stoppage time, with Adil Nabi finding the net in the 92nd minute and Alamgir Ali Khan scoring in the 94th minute.
The Indian team, which is currently ranked 138th in the FIFA rankings, is competing with a second-string squad of 18 players. The main national team is not participating due to upcoming international friendly matches against New Zealand on November 12 and 15.
India is seeking a 10th SAFF Championship title. Prior to this match, the two nations had played 29 senior international games, with India securing 16 wins, Pakistan winning four, and nine matches ending in a draw.
Pakistan entered the match ranked 197th in the FIFA rankings.
