Kathmandu, Nepal (August 20): Maldives U20 Head Coach Ahmed Shaakir (Shaakitte) remarked that India is the current favorite in the SAFF U20 Championship being held in Nepal.

This year's SAFF U20 Championship features six teams. Following Pakistan's withdrawal, Group A now includes Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, while Group B comprises the Maldives, Bhutan, and India.

Before the competition, during the official press conference, Shaakir announced that the team has been aiming to reach the final after a month of preparation.

"I can see improvement following the efforts put in by the players. India is the favourite of the tournament while Bhutan has good young players. We have our challenges, but we will overcome the challenge. We plan to target Bhutan in the group stage and progress further,” Shaakir added.

This marks the sixth edition of the SAFF U19-U20 competitions. Nepal won the first two tournaments, while India has triumphed in the last three. India began this year's tournament with a 1-0 victory over Bhutan.

The Maldives will play against Bhutan tomorrow and will face India in their final group match on August 23rd.