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Form Guide
India: LWWLL
Wim Koevermans’s record outside India has been poor, just like his predecessors, as he has only managed two wins in five games, with both those victories coming against lower-ranked nations.
Pakistan is another lower-ranked team and India would be aiming to make a winning start unlike the last edition in 2011.
Pakistan: LLLWL
Besides the twin 1-0 wins over Nepal in Kathmandu, the only team Pakistan have beaten in this calendar year is Macau, who are the second-lowest ranked team in Asia.
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Pakistan haven’t beaten India since 2005 on home soil but did win when they last opened their SAFF Championship campaign against India back in 2003.
Team News
India
Koevermans has a fully-fit squad to choose from, but has to make three or four important decisions.
First, he has to decide on his goalkeeper with Subrata Pal likely to get the nod. The left-back position is also a concern for Koevermans as the only recognised left back, Nallappan Mohanraj hasn’t played much football in the last 24 months. Thus, Nabi could start in that role, although he hasn’t been used there since February.
India also doesn’t have a left-footed midfielder, but the biggest talking point will be the formation.
Koevermans has mostly used the 4-4-1-1 formation and that has put more pressure on Sunil up front. Inclusion of four strikers in the 20-man squad suggests that the Dutchman could be tempted to use two players at the head of the pack but this being the first game, he is likely to stick to the tried and tested formula.
Probable Starting XI: 4-4-1-1 – Subrata Pal; Nirmal Chettri, Gouramangi Singh, Arnab Mondal, Syed Rahim Nabi; Francis Fernandes, Mehtab Hossain, Lenny Rodrigues, Arata Izumi; Jewel Raja; Sunil Chhetri.
Pakistan
Pakistan are set to start with all five foreign-based players which will be a big upgrade from the Afghanistan game where they played all local players.
The key decision for Anwar and Shamlan is choosing the defensive midfield partner for Adnan Ahmed. Yasir Afridi is likely to start in that role, but faces healthy competition from Zia-us-Salam and Naveed Ahmad.
The domestic league’s best player and reigning top scorer, Kaleemullah is expected to partner Denmark-based Hassan Bashir up front in a 4-4-2 system with Zesh at the heart of central defence.
Probable Starting XI: 4-4-2 – Yousuf Butt; Samar Ishaq, Zesh Rehman, Kamran Khan, Yaqoob Butt; Mohammad Adil, Adnan Ahmed, Yasir Afridi, Saddam Hussain; Kaleemullah, Hassan Bashir.
Players to watch out for:
India – Sunil Chhetri
Sunil Chhetri
The India captain is indispensable for the national team and India would be hoping that he remains fit throughout the tournament as the Arjuna Awardee has completed 90 minutes on very few occasions in the last 12 months.
Sunil scored his first international goal against Pakistan eight years ago and will be determined to get on the scoresheet in this game.
Pakistan – Adnan Ahmed
The former Manchester United youth player is one of the most technically-gifted players of not only Pakistan but the whole of South Asia.
Adnan, who currently plays in the lower tiers of England, will have to dominate proceedings in the midfield, but would also be hopeful of getting more support from his teammates.
