In the first match of the SAFF Championship which began today, defending champions India defeated Pakistan 3-2, making a successful start to the tournament.

The tournament underway in Bangladesh began with that Group B match. Played at the National Stadium in Dhaka, Pakistan put up a strong effort in the final minutes of the match to try and equalize against India. However, India, which fielded an Under-23 team, did not grant that opportunity.

India completely controlled the match in the first half. With two goals scored by Suhail Ahmad Bhat and a stunning goal by Manglenthang, India ended the first half with a three-goal lead.

In that half, Pakistan was awarded a penalty to reduce the deficit. However, the penalty taken by their player Shayak Dost went wide.

India also controlled a large portion of the second half. However, the scene of the match completely shifted during injury time. In the 92nd minute of injury time, Adil Nabi renewed Pakistan's hopes with a header goal. Two minutes later, Alamgir Ghazi sent the ball into the top corner of the Indian goal, changing the scoreline to 3-2.

In the final minutes, Pakistan presented a major threat. India's defensive setup held firm until the end of the match, securing three points and bolstering their hopes of advancing to the semi-finals.

With the victory, India sits at the top of Group B. In this group, Pakistan will next come out against the Maldives next Sunday. And the match where India plays against the Maldives will take place next Wednesday.

In the second match of the tournament tonight, Bangladesh and Bhutan will face each other. The match will kick off at 7:00 PM Maldivian time.