February 29, 2008	Friday	Safar 21, 1429

LAHORE, Feb 28: Arch-rivals Pakistan and India have been placed in Group A for the SAFF Football Championship, to be jointly held by Sri Lanka and Maldives from June 3-14.

The championship offers US$95,000 as the total cash prize in which US$50,000 has been set aside for the winners, US$25,000 for the runners-up and US$10,000 each for the two losing outfits in the semi-finals.

Co-hosts Maldives have been placed in Group A along with Pakistan, India and Nepal while Group B comprises the other host Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan.

The group matches that involve Maldives are to be played at the National Stadium, Male’, and the ones involving Sri Lanka will be played at the Sugathadha Stadium, Colombo. The final also will be played in Colombo.

A biannual contest, the SAFF championship’s first edition was held in 1993 as the SAARC Gold Cup in Lahore, Pakistan.

Group position and draws:

Group A: Maldives, Pakistan, India, Nepal (all matches in Male’, Maldives).

Group B: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan (all matches in Colombo, Sri Lanka)

June 3: Nepal v India, Maldives v Pakistan.

June 4: Bangladesh v Bhutan, Sri Lanka v Afghanistan.

June 5: Pakistan v India, Maldives v Nepal.

June 6: Afghanistan v Bangladesh, Sri Lanka v Bhutan.

June 7: Pakistan v Nepal, Maldives v India.

June 8: Afghanistan v Bhutan, Sri Lanka v Bangladesh.

June 9, 10: Rest days.

June 11: Semi-finals in Male and Colombo

June 12-13: Rest Days.

June 14: Final in Colombo.