Pakistan Women National football team will open their mission in international soccer circuit when they take on India on 31st January at Dhaka's Bangabandhu National Stadium during 11th South Asian Games 2010. The Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka would host the 12-day show from January 29 to February 08, 2010. Besides Pakistan, the other teams are Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
"Women should be appreciated by their parents, relatives and should be allowed to visit sport centers. There are a lot of talented women but they need to be trained," said PFF Women Wing Chairperson Robina Irfan who hailed PFF President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat for taking concrete steps in boosting women football in Pakistan.
Irfan told that Pakistani women had started taking part in different sports, which was a heartening sign. Soccer was one sport that women hardly opt for in our country. Unfortunately, women's participation in the game was limited to the affluent class.
According to PFF Women Football Committee's Deputy Chairman Mahfuza Aktar Kiron, Kamalapur's Birshreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mostafa Kamal Stadium will host both the matches. The remaining group matches will be held at Bangabandhu National Stadium. On January 29, host Bangladesh will launch their campaign against Nepal while India will face Sri Lanka. Pakistan's four matches in League phase are against India (31 January), Bangladesh (2 February), Sri Lanka (4 February) and Nepal (6 February).
Following are draws:
-- January 29: India - Sri Lanka (12.30), Bangladesh - Nepal (14.30)
-- January 31: India - Pakistan (13.30), Bangladesh - Sri Lanka (16.00)
-- February 2: Nepal - Sri Lanka (13.30), Bangladesh - Pakistan (16.00)
-- February 4: Pakistan - Sri Lanka (13.30), India - Nepal (16.30)
-- February 6: Pakistan - Nepal (17.00), Bangladesh - India (18.15)
-- February 8: Final (16.45)