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Bangladesh vs Pakistan Test series: Sarfaraz named head coach; four uncapped players included in squad Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been named head coach of the Pakistan Test team as selectors named four uncapped players on Saturday for next month’s two-Test series in Bangladesh.Sarfaraz, who won the Champions Trophy in 2017, retired from international cricket last month. The Pakistan Cricket Board also appointed former Test batter Asad Shafiq as the new batting coach while Umar Gul will be bowling coach.Left-handed batter Shan Masood will continue to lead the Test team with Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq the other experienced batters in the side.Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Mohammad Ghazi Ghori are the four uncapped players in the Test side.ALSO READ: Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha considering break from T20 format to focus on 2027 ODI World CupFazal and Awais are both left-handed batters and have been rewarded after impressing the selectors in domestic cricket. Butt, who made his first-class debut in 2015, is a seasoned all-rounder and carries over a decade of playing in domestic cricket.The first Test will be played in Dhaka from May 8-12 with Sylhet hosting the second Test from May 16-20.The series is part of World Test Championship (WTC) where Pakistan stands at No. 5 after drawing the home series against South Africa 1-1 last October.Bangladesh lost its opening WTC series in Sri Lanka 1-0 and is eighth in nine-team even.Pakistan squad:Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah AfridiPublished on Apr 18, 2026 #Bangladesh #Pakistan #Test #series #Sarfaraz #named #coach #uncapped #players #included #squad

Bangladesh vs Pakistan Test series: Sarfaraz named head coach; four uncapped players included in squad

Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been named head coach of the Pakistan Test team as selectors named four uncapped players on Saturday for next month’s two-Test series in Bangladesh.

Sarfaraz, who won the Champions Trophy in 2017, retired from international cricket last month. The Pakistan Cricket Board also appointed former Test batter Asad Shafiq as the new batting coach while Umar Gul will be bowling coach.

Left-handed batter Shan Masood will continue to lead the Test team with Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq the other experienced batters in the side.

Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Mohammad Ghazi Ghori are the four uncapped players in the Test side.

ALSO READ: Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha considering break from T20 format to focus on 2027 ODI World Cup

Fazal and Awais are both left-handed batters and have been rewarded after impressing the selectors in domestic cricket. Butt, who made his first-class debut in 2015, is a seasoned all-rounder and carries over a decade of playing in domestic cricket.

The first Test will be played in Dhaka from May 8-12 with Sylhet hosting the second Test from May 16-20.

The series is part of World Test Championship (WTC) where Pakistan stands at No. 5 after drawing the home series against South Africa 1-1 last October.

Bangladesh lost its opening WTC series in Sri Lanka 1-0 and is eighth in nine-team even.

Pakistan squad:

Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Published on Apr 18, 2026

#Bangladesh #Pakistan #Test #series #Sarfaraz #named #coach #uncapped #players #included #squad

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Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been named head coach of the Pakistan Test team as selectors named four uncapped players on Saturday for next month’s two-Test series in Bangladesh.

Sarfaraz, who won the Champions Trophy in 2017, retired from international cricket last month. The Pakistan Cricket Board also appointed former Test batter Asad Shafiq as the new batting coach while Umar Gul will be bowling coach.

Left-handed batter Shan Masood will continue to lead the Test team with Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq the other experienced batters in the side.

Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Mohammad Ghazi Ghori are the four uncapped players in the Test side.

ALSO READ: Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha considering break from T20 format to focus on 2027 ODI World Cup

Fazal and Awais are both left-handed batters and have been rewarded after impressing the selectors in domestic cricket. Butt, who made his first-class debut in 2015, is a seasoned all-rounder and carries over a decade of playing in domestic cricket.

The first Test will be played in Dhaka from May 8-12 with Sylhet hosting the second Test from May 16-20.

The series is part of World Test Championship (WTC) where Pakistan stands at No. 5 after drawing the home series against South Africa 1-1 last October.

Bangladesh lost its opening WTC series in Sri Lanka 1-0 and is eighth in nine-team even.

Pakistan squad:

Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Published on Apr 18, 2026

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Deadspin | Emmanuel Sabbi, Whitecaps cruise to victory over Sporting KC <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28755394.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28755394.jpg" alt="MLS: Sporting Kansas City at Vancouver Whitecaps FC" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 17, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Thomas Muller (13) celebrates scoring with defender Mathias Laborda (2) during the first half against the Sporting Kansas City at BC Place. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Emmanuel Sabbi scored one goal and assisted on another as the Vancouver Whitecaps continued the best start in club history with a dominant 3-0 victory over visiting Sporting Kansas City on Friday night.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Bruno Caicedo added his first MLS goal in the 21-year-old’s third appearance — and first start — in the league as the Whitecaps raced out to their three-goal lead by the half-hour mark.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Thomas Muller added his fourth goal of the season for Vancouver (7-1-0, 21 points), which has played all but one of its first eight league matches at home while building an exceptional +18 goal differential.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>The Whitecaps will have one more home game on April 25 against the Colorado Rapids. Then they will play eight straight on the road while BC Place is prepped and used as a 2026 World Cup venue.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Kansas City (1-6-1, 4 points) lost its fourth straight in MLS and fifth straight overall. Manager Raphael Wicky’s Sporting squad have been outscored 13-3 combined in those four league defeats.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>Vancouver outshot Kansas City 25-3 and led 6-1 in efforts on target in a game that quickly tilted in the hosts’ favor.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-7"> <p>Sabbi scored in the 13th minute on an attack that began when Vancouver intercepted a Kansas City goal kick at midfield.</p> </section> <section id="section-8"> <p>Eventually it was White who got into the right side of the penalty area and chipped it over charging goalkeeper John Pulskamp but not into the net.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>The ball arrived to Vancouver’s Mathias Laborda on the opposite post, who couldn’t direct an effort goal-bound under defensive pressure. Sabbi cleaned up the loose ball with a finish through the scrambling SKC defense, off a defender, off the crossbar and in.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Caicedo created the second goal in the 23rd minute. He snuck up field and intercepted Cielo Tschantret’s ill-advised square pass, then finished low from the edge of the area off the inside of the far right post.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Another long clearance intercepted at midfield led to the hosts making it 3-0 in the 28th minute.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>This time it was Sabbi providing the service from the right wing after doing excellent work to keep the ball in play. His outswinging ball fell at the back post for Muller, who headed it firmly past the flailing Pulskamp.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Emmanuel #Sabbi #Whitecaps #cruise #victory #Sporting

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Deadspin | Rangers open homestand with victory over Pirates Apr 21, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson (3) celebrates with catcher Danny Jansen (9) after scoring a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Kumar Rocker allowed one run on four hits over a season-high six innings and the Texas Rangers began a nine-game homestand with a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. Rocker (1-1) walked one and struck out five for Texas, which returned home after playing 16 of its first 22 games on the road. Cole Winn, Jacob Latz and Jakob Junis each pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Jake Mangum and Nick Gonzales had two hits apiece for the Pirates, who have lost three of their last five. Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when leadoff hitter Oneil Cruz singled, stole second, moved to third on an error, and scored on Ryan O’Hearn’s single up the middle. Texas moved ahead with two runs in the second against Carmen Mlodzinski (1-1), who had not allowed an earned run in his last 13 innings. Joc Pederson singled to begin the inning, went to third on Josh Jung’s double to center, and scored on Evan Carter’s single. After Danny Jansen struck out, Jung scored from third on Josh Smith’s sacrifice fly. The Pirates put two runners on with two outs in the fifth, but Rocker escaped unscathed when Carter reached over the center-field wall to rob Cruz of a three-run homer. Texas tacked on three runs and knocked Mlodzinski out of the game in the fifth. Smith hit a leadoff double, moved to third on Brandon Nimmo’s fly out, and scored on Ezequiel Duran’s double. Wilber Dotel replaced Mlodzinski after Corey Seager delivered an RBI single to center. Jake Burger greeted Dotel with a single and Joc Pederson walked to load the bases before Seager scored on Jung’s force out. Mlodzinski allowed five runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings while throwing a season-high 93 pitches. He walked two and struck out six. Mangum singled with one out in the seventh and was stranded after Konnor Griffin flied out and Henry Davis fanned on three pitches. Texas left fielder Wyatt Langford exited the game in the fifth inning with right forearm tightness and was replaced by Duran. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rangers #open #homestand #victory #PiratesApr 21, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson (3) celebrates with catcher Danny Jansen (9) after scoring a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Kumar Rocker allowed one run on four hits over a season-high six innings and the Texas Rangers began a nine-game homestand with a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.

Rocker (1-1) walked one and struck out five for Texas, which returned home after playing 16 of its first 22 games on the road. Cole Winn, Jacob Latz and Jakob Junis each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

Jake Mangum and Nick Gonzales had two hits apiece for the Pirates, who have lost three of their last five.

Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when leadoff hitter Oneil Cruz singled, stole second, moved to third on an error, and scored on Ryan O’Hearn’s single up the middle.

Texas moved ahead with two runs in the second against Carmen Mlodzinski (1-1), who had not allowed an earned run in his last 13 innings.

Joc Pederson singled to begin the inning, went to third on Josh Jung’s double to center, and scored on Evan Carter’s single. After Danny Jansen struck out, Jung scored from third on Josh Smith’s sacrifice fly.


The Pirates put two runners on with two outs in the fifth, but Rocker escaped unscathed when Carter reached over the center-field wall to rob Cruz of a three-run homer.

Texas tacked on three runs and knocked Mlodzinski out of the game in the fifth. Smith hit a leadoff double, moved to third on Brandon Nimmo’s fly out, and scored on Ezequiel Duran’s double.

Wilber Dotel replaced Mlodzinski after Corey Seager delivered an RBI single to center. Jake Burger greeted Dotel with a single and Joc Pederson walked to load the bases before Seager scored on Jung’s force out.

Mlodzinski allowed five runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings while throwing a season-high 93 pitches. He walked two and struck out six.

Mangum singled with one out in the seventh and was stranded after Konnor Griffin flied out and Henry Davis fanned on three pitches.

Texas left fielder Wyatt Langford exited the game in the fifth inning with right forearm tightness and was replaced by Duran.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Rangers #open #homestand #victory #Pirates">Deadspin | Rangers open homestand with victory over Pirates Apr 21, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson (3) celebrates with catcher Danny Jansen (9) after scoring a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Kumar Rocker allowed one run on four hits over a season-high six innings and the Texas Rangers began a nine-game homestand with a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. Rocker (1-1) walked one and struck out five for Texas, which returned home after playing 16 of its first 22 games on the road. Cole Winn, Jacob Latz and Jakob Junis each pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Jake Mangum and Nick Gonzales had two hits apiece for the Pirates, who have lost three of their last five. Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when leadoff hitter Oneil Cruz singled, stole second, moved to third on an error, and scored on Ryan O’Hearn’s single up the middle. Texas moved ahead with two runs in the second against Carmen Mlodzinski (1-1), who had not allowed an earned run in his last 13 innings. Joc Pederson singled to begin the inning, went to third on Josh Jung’s double to center, and scored on Evan Carter’s single. After Danny Jansen struck out, Jung scored from third on Josh Smith’s sacrifice fly. The Pirates put two runners on with two outs in the fifth, but Rocker escaped unscathed when Carter reached over the center-field wall to rob Cruz of a three-run homer. Texas tacked on three runs and knocked Mlodzinski out of the game in the fifth. Smith hit a leadoff double, moved to third on Brandon Nimmo’s fly out, and scored on Ezequiel Duran’s double. Wilber Dotel replaced Mlodzinski after Corey Seager delivered an RBI single to center. Jake Burger greeted Dotel with a single and Joc Pederson walked to load the bases before Seager scored on Jung’s force out. Mlodzinski allowed five runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings while throwing a season-high 93 pitches. He walked two and struck out six. Mangum singled with one out in the seventh and was stranded after Konnor Griffin flied out and Henry Davis fanned on three pitches. Texas left fielder Wyatt Langford exited the game in the fifth inning with right forearm tightness and was replaced by Duran. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rangers #open #homestand #victory #Pirates

Deadspin | Royals take advantage of Orioles’ wild pitches, snap 8-game skid Apr 21, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (11) slides into home to score a run against Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) during the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Maikel Garcia scored on a wild pitch in the ninth inning and the Kansas City Royals snapped their eight-game losing streak with 6-5 win over the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. Ryan Helsey (0-2) walked Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. to open the ninth of the 5-5 contest. The runners reached second and third on a wild pitch, and Garcia darted home to score the winner on another wild one pitch from Helsey — his second of the inning and Baltimore’s fourth of the game — that bounced onto the infield grass. Kyle Isbel had three hits and Michael Massey clubbed a tying solo homer in the eighth for the Royals, who overcame an early 3-0 hole for their first win since April 11. Lucas Erceg (1-1) pitched one scoreless inning as Kansas City evened the three-game set heading into the Wednesday afternoon finale. Adley Rutschman came off the 10-day injured list to hit a two-run go-ahead homer in the eighth for the Orioles, who have lost six of eight. Kansas City’s Kris Bubic opened the second inning by allowing a single to Jeremiah Jackson and a walk to Weston Watson. With one out, Coby Mayo sent a drive well into the left field seats for a 3-0 Baltimore lead. Those were only runs yielded by Bubic over 6 1/3 innings. He permitted five hits and three walks while striking out three. Kansas City got a run back in the bottom of the second. Carter Jensen doubled, went to third on Shane Baz’s wild pitch and scored via a sacrifice fly by Massey. The Royals tied the contest in the fifth. Isbel doubled and scored on a single by Garcia, who eventually came home courtesy of Vinnie Pasquantino’s sacrifice fly. Kansas City took the lead in the seventh when Isbel doubled down the left line, went to third on another Baz wild pitch and scored on Witt’s sacrifice fly to right. The Orioles regained the lead in the eighth. Rutschman, with a man aboard, barely cleared the left-center-field wall off Matt Strahm to make it 5-4 with his first homer of the season. Massey’s towering homer leading off the bottom of the eighth was first hit allowed by Baltimore’s Rico Garcia in 12 appearances this year. Baz yielded four runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. He fanned four and walked two. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Royals #advantage #Orioles #wild #pitches #snap #8game #skidApr 21, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (11) slides into home to score a run against Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) during the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Maikel Garcia scored on a wild pitch in the ninth inning and the Kansas City Royals snapped their eight-game losing streak with 6-5 win over the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.

Ryan Helsey (0-2) walked Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. to open the ninth of the 5-5 contest. The runners reached second and third on a wild pitch, and Garcia darted home to score the winner on another wild one pitch from Helsey — his second of the inning and Baltimore’s fourth of the game — that bounced onto the infield grass.

Kyle Isbel had three hits and Michael Massey clubbed a tying solo homer in the eighth for the Royals, who overcame an early 3-0 hole for their first win since April 11.

Lucas Erceg (1-1) pitched one scoreless inning as Kansas City evened the three-game set heading into the Wednesday afternoon finale.

Adley Rutschman came off the 10-day injured list to hit a two-run go-ahead homer in the eighth for the Orioles, who have lost six of eight.

Kansas City’s Kris Bubic opened the second inning by allowing a single to Jeremiah Jackson and a walk to Weston Watson. With one out, Coby Mayo sent a drive well into the left field seats for a 3-0 Baltimore lead.


Those were only runs yielded by Bubic over 6 1/3 innings. He permitted five hits and three walks while striking out three.

Kansas City got a run back in the bottom of the second. Carter Jensen doubled, went to third on Shane Baz’s wild pitch and scored via a sacrifice fly by Massey.

The Royals tied the contest in the fifth. Isbel doubled and scored on a single by Garcia, who eventually came home courtesy of Vinnie Pasquantino’s sacrifice fly.

Kansas City took the lead in the seventh when Isbel doubled down the left line, went to third on another Baz wild pitch and scored on Witt’s sacrifice fly to right.

The Orioles regained the lead in the eighth. Rutschman, with a man aboard, barely cleared the left-center-field wall off Matt Strahm to make it 5-4 with his first homer of the season.

Massey’s towering homer leading off the bottom of the eighth was first hit allowed by Baltimore’s Rico Garcia in 12 appearances this year.

Baz yielded four runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. He fanned four and walked two.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Royals #advantage #Orioles #wild #pitches #snap #8game #skid">Deadspin | Royals take advantage of Orioles’ wild pitches, snap 8-game skid Apr 21, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (11) slides into home to score a run against Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) during the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Maikel Garcia scored on a wild pitch in the ninth inning and the Kansas City Royals snapped their eight-game losing streak with 6-5 win over the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. Ryan Helsey (0-2) walked Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. to open the ninth of the 5-5 contest. The runners reached second and third on a wild pitch, and Garcia darted home to score the winner on another wild one pitch from Helsey — his second of the inning and Baltimore’s fourth of the game — that bounced onto the infield grass. Kyle Isbel had three hits and Michael Massey clubbed a tying solo homer in the eighth for the Royals, who overcame an early 3-0 hole for their first win since April 11. Lucas Erceg (1-1) pitched one scoreless inning as Kansas City evened the three-game set heading into the Wednesday afternoon finale. Adley Rutschman came off the 10-day injured list to hit a two-run go-ahead homer in the eighth for the Orioles, who have lost six of eight. Kansas City’s Kris Bubic opened the second inning by allowing a single to Jeremiah Jackson and a walk to Weston Watson. With one out, Coby Mayo sent a drive well into the left field seats for a 3-0 Baltimore lead. Those were only runs yielded by Bubic over 6 1/3 innings. He permitted five hits and three walks while striking out three. Kansas City got a run back in the bottom of the second. Carter Jensen doubled, went to third on Shane Baz’s wild pitch and scored via a sacrifice fly by Massey. The Royals tied the contest in the fifth. Isbel doubled and scored on a single by Garcia, who eventually came home courtesy of Vinnie Pasquantino’s sacrifice fly. Kansas City took the lead in the seventh when Isbel doubled down the left line, went to third on another Baz wild pitch and scored on Witt’s sacrifice fly to right. The Orioles regained the lead in the eighth. Rutschman, with a man aboard, barely cleared the left-center-field wall off Matt Strahm to make it 5-4 with his first homer of the season. Massey’s towering homer leading off the bottom of the eighth was first hit allowed by Baltimore’s Rico Garcia in 12 appearances this year. Baz yielded four runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. He fanned four and walked two. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Royals #advantage #Orioles #wild #pitches #snap #8game #skid

India has been drawn alongside defending champion Bangladesh and the Maldives in the upcoming SAFF Women’s Championship, set to be played from May 24 to June 7 in Goa.

The five-time champion will host the tournament for the first time in a decade, with six teams competing for the title at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.

SAFF Women’s Championship groups:

Group A: India, Bangladesh, Maldives

Group B: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals, which will be played as single-leg knockouts to determine the finalists.

“The SAFF Championship will be played in Goa, which is one of the major football hubs in India. I thank the AIFF (All India Football Federation) for its cooperation in ensuring all arrangements are in place,” said Purushottam Kattel, General Secretary of the South Asian Football Federation, to Sportstar.

“We reached out to all seven FAs and finally closed in on India. All but one team — Pakistan — received clearance to travel. We are looking forward to a good tournament. Unfortunately, Pakistan did not get clearance from the government.”

The SAFF Championship will be India’s first competitive tournament since the AFC Asian Cup 2026, where it exited in the group stage. Since then, it has played friendlies against Kenya and Malawi, beating the latter in Africa.

“South Asian women’s teams have been doing well recently. India and Bangladesh played in the Asian Cup, and Nepal also came close. So, we are expecting quite competitive matches,” Kattel added.

Despite being the most successful team in the competition, India has not dominated the last two editions, with Bangladesh and Nepal contesting the finals in both 2022 and 2024.

India’s last SAFF Women’s Championship title came in 2019, when it defeated host Nepal 3-1 in the final.

Published on Apr 22, 2026

#SAFF #Womens #Championship #India #drawn #defending #champion #Bangladesh #Pakistan #travel">SAFF Women’s Championship: India drawn with defending champion Bangladesh; Pakistan to not travel India has been drawn alongside defending champion Bangladesh and the Maldives in the upcoming SAFF Women’s Championship, set to be played from May 24 to June 7 in Goa.The five-time champion will host the tournament for the first time in a decade, with six teams competing for the title at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.SAFF Women’s Championship groups:Group A: India, Bangladesh, MaldivesGroup B: Nepal, Sri Lanka, BhutanThe top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals, which will be played as single-leg knockouts to determine the finalists.“The SAFF Championship will be played in Goa, which is one of the major football hubs in India. I thank the AIFF (All India Football Federation) for its cooperation in ensuring all arrangements are in place,” said Purushottam Kattel, General Secretary of the South Asian Football Federation, to Sportstar.“We reached out to all seven FAs and finally closed in on India. All but one team — Pakistan — received clearance to travel. We are looking forward to a good tournament. Unfortunately, Pakistan did not get clearance from the government.”The SAFF Championship will be India’s first competitive tournament since the AFC Asian Cup 2026, where it exited in the group stage. Since then, it has played friendlies against Kenya and Malawi, beating the latter in Africa.“South Asian women’s teams have been doing well recently. India and Bangladesh played in the Asian Cup, and Nepal also came close. So, we are expecting quite competitive matches,” Kattel added.Despite being the most successful team in the competition, India has not dominated the last two editions, with Bangladesh and Nepal contesting the finals in both 2022 and 2024.India’s last SAFF Women’s Championship title came in 2019, when it defeated host Nepal 3-1 in the final.Published on Apr 22, 2026 #SAFF #Womens #Championship #India #drawn #defending #champion #Bangladesh #Pakistan #travel

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