Published 11:48 IST, October 15th 2019
AIFF yet to invite ex-football captain PK Banerjee for Ind-Ban match
The octogenarian PK Banerjee, who stays in close proximity to the Salt Lake Stadium, has claimed that the AIFF has not invited him for the India vs Ban match
Former Indian football captain PK Banerjee on Monday expressed that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has not invited him for the India-Bangladesh World Cup qualifier match on Tuesday, October 15, 2019. The match is in the news for many other reasons such as India playing at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata after a long gap of eight years as well as the fact that India played out an impressive draw against Asian champions Qatar in their previous FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture. The stadium is expected to be packed as all the tickets have already been sold out in advance.
Banerjee's recent interview
In a PTI interview, the legendary Banerjee expressed his excitement to watch the match and his desire to do so at the stadium, which is not very far away from his residence. According to Banerjee, even if Bangladesh ranks deep down in the FIFA rankings, they still have the potential to give India a run for their money. Although the Indian team has improved a lot in the recent past, but it won't be an easy match. The visitors are expected to put up a fight but ultimately India will win, according to the former captain who is also a FIFA Order of Merit 2004 winner.
India last played an official match in Kolkata on November 16, 2011, which was a friendly match against Malaysia. India managed to bag a 3-2 win against the visitors, thanks to Sunil Chhetri's brace. Since then, the venue is renowned for hosting the FIFA Under-17 World Cup 2017 men's matches, including the final.
Updated 17:09 IST, October 15th 2019