India vs Pakistan, SAFF Championship 2023 Highlights: Sunil Chhetri nets hat-trick as India blank Pakistan 4-0

8' - Skipper Chhetri gets a good chance after 'keeper Hanif gives it straight to him. He takes the shot from 35 yards but it is well blocked by Pakistani defender

3' - Pakistan get the first corner of the game but Ashique's header goes wide of the Indian' keeper.

2' - Sandesh sends a cross inside the box, Chhetri takes a header but is not able to keep it on target

1' - Anirudh Thapa is brought down on the ground and the first attack from India. Thapa floats it inside the box but it is cleared away for a throw in

Here goes the whistle! India-Pakistan clash gets underway

India in Blue while Pakistan are wearing all whites

PAKISTAN XI: Saquib Hanif, Easah Suliman, Muhammad Umar Hayat, Muhammad Sufyan, Abdullah Iqbal, Mamoon Moosa Khan, Otis Jan, Mohammed Khan, Rahis Nabi, Hassan Naveed Bashir, Harun Arrashid Hamid, Ali Uzair Mahmood

INDIA XI: Amrinder Singh, Sunil Chhetri, Shubashish Bose, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Jeakson Singh, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Pritam Kotal, Ashique Kuruniyan

National Anthem of Pakistan is being played first followed by the hosts India

Light drizzle has started the moment players have completed their customary handshakes

Both the teams are making their way out in the middle

Chants of India, India are resonating at the stadium as Indian fans have turned up in huge numbers

Perfect conditions for the game!

Pakistan all set for the match despite minor hiccups

The cooler climate of the Garden City, after the searing heat of Bhubaneswar, will be a welcome relief for India. The only worry for Stimac will be the lack of proper preparation as the team will be forced to train on artificial turf.

Suliman, the first British-Pakistani to captain an England side, played for England in the 2015 U-17 World Cup in Chile. He also played a key role to help England win the Euro U-19 title, heading home a goal in the final against Portugal playing alongside the likes of Mason Mount and Aaron Ramsdale.

Team India's Starting XI

Former England U-20 captain Easah Suliman will be one of the star attractions as he is set to play against India after receiving FIFA’s clearance recently to represent Pakistan.

The series of unusual events unfolded when the Pakistan team landed in Mumbai from Mauritius at 1:00 am on Wednesday morning. However, with 32 members comprising players and coaching staff, they faced the problem of not finding enough seats on a single aircraft, resulting in the team being split into two groups.

The Pakistan football team experienced an unexpected and challenging lead-up to their SAFF Championship opener against India, as over half of the team arrived at the venue just six hours before the match due to ticket unavailability on a single flight.

India enjoy good lead in head-to-head

India won 3-1 against Pakistan in their last meeting!

Pakistan are scheduled to face India on June 21, Kuwait on June 24 and Nepal on June 27 in the SAFF Championship.

Merely three days after their Intercontinental Cup triumph, the Indian football team would be having a high morale.

The SAFF Championship is being held in India for the fourth time, and they have won the trophy on each of the last three occasions as hosts (1999, 2011 and 2015).

On the other hand, Pakistan's best performance has been a third-place finish in 1997, having reached the semifinals twice.

Eight-time champions India hold a dominant position in the SAFF Championship, being the most successful team in the tournament.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the India's SAFF Championship opener against Pakistan at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.