Naushad Moosa issues friendly message before India v Pakistan at SAFF Championship 2026
India head coach Naushad Moosa offered a conciliatory message ahead of India’s match against Pakistan in the SAFF Championship 2026 at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday, 5 November 2026 at 3:00 PM IST. Pakistan captain Alamgir Ghazi also signalled willingness to show sportsmanship ahead of the fixture.
The India–Pakistan encounter carries its customary tension and has, in recent times across sports, seen instances where players did not shake hands. Ahead of the match, both teams indicated they would set aside off-field differences to demonstrate sportsmanship, with Moosa and Alamgir Ghazi making public comments to that effect.
When asked whether the two sides would shake hands, Moosa said there would be no hesitation from his team in showing sportsmanship. Indian player Nathan Rodrigues echoed that position, saying, “Of course, yes yes, we will deal with it, but yeah we will do that.” Moosa added, “If needed we would love to go and hug them.”
Moosa outlined his approach to squad selection and the tournament’s importance, saying: “Of course SAFF is important for us. And accordingly, we have got the squad. You can say it’s the second string but no, there are players mixed from the senior team and the youth team because I have been handling the U-23 team. So, with the short preparation, what I need was the players who can understand the way I want to play football.”
Responding to Moosa’s comments, Pakistan captain Alamgir Ghazi said the teams would show each other respect, stating, “Same goes with us, it’s not cricket, it’s football. And that’s why it’s a beautiful game and we will do that with them.” Alamgir also assessed the opposition and his own squad, saying, “They have a good team too, even their second team is better because we are missing half of our players today but it’s not an excuse and we will play our football, we will play well, because it’s a special game for both of us. So, we will play and have a good fight with them.”
The SAFF Championship 2026 opener between India and Pakistan at the National Stadium in Dhaka will be live-streamed on the VETO app.
India and Pakistan meet on Thursday, 5 November 2026 at 3:00 PM IST at the National Stadium, Dhaka, with the match available to viewers via the VETO app.
