2020 AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers: India's Fixtures, Squad, Opponents, Venue

India will kickstart their 2020 AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers on Wednesday when they take on Central Asian nation Turkmenistan. India achieved their joint-best finish in 2018 when Bibiano Fernandes and his boys reached the quarter-finals.

The AFC U-16 Championship also doubles up as a qualifier to the 2021 FIFA U-17 World Cup, with the top four teams representing AFC in the biennial event.

Mark your calendars 📅, set your reminders! ⏰Here are India's 🇮🇳 fixtures for the #AFCU16 Qualifiers that start tomorrow 😍#IndianFootball ⚽️ #BackTheBlue 💙 #StarsOfTomorrow 🌟 pic.twitter.com/KRpjsRZCGY

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 17, 2019

48 AFC countries are participating in the Qualifiers and they have been divided into 11 groups of four and five teams each. India are placed in Group B and will face Turkmenistan, Bahrain, alongside hosts of the Qualifiers Uzbekistan.

The winners of each group and four best runners-up will advance to the main tournament. As Bahrain are also the host of the 2020 AFC U-16 Championship, if they qualify, the fifth-best runners-up will also punch their ticket to qualification.

Only the players who are born or after 1 January 2004 are eligible to represent their nation in this qualifiers.

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2020 AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers Group B:

Teams: India, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Bahrain

Date: 18-22 September 2019

Fixtures

18 September: India U-16 vs. Turkmenistan U-16 (4:30 p.m. IST)

Venue: Transportation Institute Stadium, Tashkent

18 September: Uzbekistan U-16 vs. Bahrain U-16 (4:30 p.m. IST)

Venue: JAR Stadium, Tashkent

20 September: India U-16 vs. Bahrain U-16 (4:30 p.m. IST)

Venue: Transportation Institute Stadium, Tashkent

20 September: Uzbekistan U-16 vs. Turkmenistan U-16 (4:30 p.m. IST)

Venue: JAR Stadium, Tashkent

22 September: India U-16 vs. Uzbekistan U-16 (4:30 p.m. IST)

Venue: JAR Stadium, Tashkent

22 September: Turkmenistan U-16 vs. Bahrain Stadium (4:30 p.m. IST)

Venue: Transportation Stadium, Tashkent

Telecast:

No live telecast

2018 AFC U-16 Championship Record

India: India rode on a late penalty strike from Vikram Pratap Singh to pick up a 1-0 win against Vietnam before holding Iran and Indonesia in a goalless draw to progress to the quarter-finals, where they lost to South Korea.

Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan failed to qualify for the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship after finishing third in their qualifying group. They defeated Bahrain 1-0 before routing Sri Lanka 6-0. After holding Jordan to a goalless draw, they lost 0-1 to Saudi Arabia.

Bahrain: Bahrain couldn't qualify for the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship as they finished fourth in their group. Having begun their campaign with a 6-0 demolition over Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan pipped them 1-0 before Saudi Arabia outclassed them 3-0. In their final game of the qualifiers, Jordan beat them 3-2.

Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan withdrew themselves from the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers. As a result, like other teams in India's group, they too failed to qualify for the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship.

India's 23-man squad for 2020 AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers

Goalkeepers: Aman Kumar Sahani, Mohit Singh Dhami, Ayush Deshwal

Defenders: Ranjan Soren, Shameek Caine Vas, Halen Nongtdu, Pritam Meetei, Anish Mazumder, Amandeep, Paogoumang Singson

Midfielders: Taison Singh, Ratanbi Singh, Voihenba Meitei, Renedy Meitei, Siba Prasad, Maheson Singh, Sibajit Singh, Amosa Lalnundanga, Satvik Sharma

Strikers: Shubho Paul, Isac Zomuanpuia, Sridarth Nongmeikapam, Himanshu Jangra

Coach: Bibiano Fernandes