Star Striker Nadia Khan Confident in Pakistan’s SAFF Championship Chances

With the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship approaching, Nadia Khan, the leading striker for the Pakistan Women’s national football team, is optimistic that this year’s team can achieve a much better outcome than in past tournaments.

In an interview with a local news outlet, she expressed her expectation for a different result in the upcoming edition of the tournament, citing the overall quality of the squad being better than before.

The 23-year-old Nadia, who had been out of action for a year, commented on her time on the sidelines, saying, “I’ve been away from football for quite a while due to my ACL injury. It’s been a good 12 months of playing, even at the club level, but for the national team, it has been since Nepal last time. Alhamdulillah, I’ve come back stronger from the injury, and recovered well, and I can’t wait to play in this tournament. I’m really excited, and with the team we have now, I’m confident we can make a positive impact.”

Khan emphasized the need for more competitive game time for the players, saying, “We do deserve more opportunities because we train so hard. Playing on the international field is something we should have more of, and Inshallah, we will find more rhythm in the future.”

She also acknowledged the progress made by local players since her initial involvement. “There’s a significant difference in their skills, including how they control the ball. It’s a testament to their hard work and development in Pakistan,” she commented.

Regarding the delays in No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the team, she affirmed that the team remains focused on their performance and is not letting off-field issues distract them from the task at hand, preferring to let the management handle such matters.

The Pakistan women’s football team is to depart for the SAFF Championship in Nepal on October 12, with the tournament starting on the 17th with a much-anticipated clash against rivals India.