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Defending champions India’s second-string side takes on Maldives in a Group B match of the 2026 SAFF Championship in Dhaka today (Nov. 11, 2026) at 1.30pm Gulf time (3pm IST).
India want to secure a semifinal berth. Coach Naushad Moosa’s team is expected to give another strong performance from a young squad after opening the campaign with a 3-2 win over Pakistan last week.
The squad has since lost several players.
Farukh Choudhary, Noufal PN and Hmingthanmawia Ralte have been released to return to their club, Mumbai City FC. Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Suhail and Liston Colaco have been called up to the senior squad under Khalid Jamil for the two friendlies against New Zealand, starting November 12.
Stakes: The top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals on November 14. Group winners and the best runners-up go through.
With the second-string squad losing three more players, the depth will be tested.
Manglenthang Kipgen and Abhishek Suryavanshi are expected to be key in attack and midfield.
History: India has dominated this fixture. It won the 2023 meeting 4-0 and has a long record of wins over Maldives. Maldives can still be dangerous on the counter.
Beyond today: The semifinals are on November 14, and the final is on November 17 at 7:30 PM IST. India are chasing a record 10th title.
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