SAFF championship: India hosts Pakistan footballers for first time since 2014

BENGALURU: India beat Pakistan’s football team 4-0 backed by cheering home crowds on Wednesday, the first time it has hosted the national team from its neighbour and bitter adversary since 2014.

While cricket reigns supreme in both nations, football is still extremely popular, with fans cheering arriving team buses for the opening day of the South Asia Football Federation (SAFF) Championship in India’s southern city, Bengaluru. Security was tight at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium with hundreds of police and security guards deployed, with M Satyanarayan, SAFF project head saying “extra precautions” had been taken.

As the home team bus arrived, fans waved India flags and chanted the name of skipper Sunil Chhetri. Pakistan’s team arrived shortly after, while some in the crowd chanted “India”, but the crowds in the stadium later stood up for the rival national anthem and applauded when it ended.

“An India-Pakistan match -- whether it is cricket or football -- is always great to watch,” said Kaustuv Vatsyayan, 33, a banker based in Bangalore who was backing India. “Sports... brings people of the two countries together and it is hoped that the friendship of these two countries will be better in the future,” he added.

To the roars of a home crowd, Chhetri scored a hat-trick, while Udanta Singh belted one more in, earning hosts and championship title holders India a four-goal victory.

Harshavardhan, a 20-year-old medical student who gave only his first name said: “India-Pakistan rivalry... be it football or cricket, it’s much more interesting than other matches. As an Indian, I support India. Nevertheless, respect the opponent.”

Yogitha Rajeshwar, 27, a software engineer based in Bangalore, said she had been looking forward to supporting India in the match for weeks. “I have to appreciate the spirit of Pakistan coming here and playing despite lots of tension between the countries,” she said. “I believe sports unites us.” The two countries rarely play home matches against each other in any sport.

“As devoted sportsmen, we understand the power of sports in transcending political boundaries and fostering strong relationships between nations,” Pakistan captain Yousaf Butt told AFP ahead of the match.

The last time Pakistan played football in India in 2014 they drew a two-match series. They faced off in the 2018 SAFF Championship in Bangladesh, with India winning 3-1.

India and Pakistan are in Group A of the eight-nation SAFF Championship, alongside Kuwait and Nepal. Group B features Lebanon, Maldives, Bhutan and Bangladesh. The final is scheduled for July 4.

The participation of Pakistan in the Bengaluru event has raised hopes Islamabad will take part in the ICC 50-over World Cup cricket tournament hosted by India in October.

Pakistan had earlier announced to boycott the event after India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in September, but a compromise was struck with Sri Lanka also hosting games.

If confirmed, this year’s World Cup will mark Pakistan’s first cricket trip to India since the T20 World Cup in 2016.