THIMPHU: Pakistan’s 23-member squad on Friday reached here to participate in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U16 Championship 2023.

According to the details, the contingent reached the Bhutan capital, via Doha, on Friday afternoon.

They will now embark on their SAFF U16 Championship campaign on September 2 against hosts Bhutan before taking on Maldives on September 4.

Notably, Pakistan’s fixtures against Bhutan and Maldives were scheduled a day prior but a delay in the issuance of the NOC to the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), resulted in the tweaks to the schedule.

DG PSB Shoaib Khoso asserted that the delay in the issuance of the NOC was due to incomplete documents provided by the PFF. The PSB then issued the NOC on Wednesday after the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination shared that it had received approval from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior. A week prior, the PFF announced a 23-member squad for the SAFF U-16 Championship 2023. Pakistan Squad for SAFF Under-16 Championship Defenders: Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Hasnain Saleem, Najeem Khan, Sameer Ahmed, Obaidullah Khan, Majid Ali, Syed Mohammad Abis Raza, and Umar Javed.

Midfielders: Abdul Samad, Mohammad Faraz, Farhad, Haroon Rashid, Hikmatullah, Khabib Khan, M. Shahab Ahmed and Muhammad Khan.

Forwards: Abdul Ghani, Hasnain Wali Raza, Subhan Karim and Syed Kabir Ali Shah Goalkeepers: Adil Ali Khan, Balach Khan and Ghulam Abbas.

The 2023 SAFF U16 Championship is the 8th edition of the tournament and will be played from September 1 to September 10 in Thimphu, Bhutan. India are the current champions as well as the most successful team in the tournament’s history, having won the tournament in 2022, 2019, 2017 and 2013. Meanwhile, Pakistan won the inaugural edition of the SAFF U16 championship in 2011.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 02 2023

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