India reached the SAFF Women's Championship final on the back of a 8-0 win over Pakistan in the semis. —File Photo
India reached the SAFF Women\'s Championship final on the back of a 8-0 win over Pakistan in the semis. —File Photo
India were crowned winners of the inaugural South Asian Football Federation Women’s Championship on Thursday, when they beat Nepal 1-0 in the final at Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazaar Zilla Stadium.

Sasmita Mallick’s 65th-minute winner was enough to see India through to glory, after a goalless first half saw both teams squander several goal-scoring opportunities.

India had been the most dominant team of the tournament, scoring 39 goals in their four matches leading up to the final while maintaining a clean sheet.

Gold medallists at the South Asian Games in February, India entered the final on the back of a comprehensive 8-0 win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the semis. Bala Devi, starred for India in the semi-final with a hat-trick and was adjudged player of the tournament on Thursday.

Opinion

Editorial

Khamenei’s killing
Updated 02 Mar, 2026

Khamenei’s killing

THERE is no question about it: with the brutal assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and...
NFC reform
02 Mar, 2026

NFC reform

PLANNING Minister Ahsan Iqbal’s call for forward-looking reforms in the NFC Award has reopened an important debate...
Migrant crisis
02 Mar, 2026

Migrant crisis

MIGRANT casualties represent the lifelong pain of families left behind. Yet countries do little to preserve ...
A new war
Updated 01 Mar, 2026

A new war

UNLESS there is an immediate diplomatic breakthrough, the joint Israeli-American aggression against Iran launched on...
Breaking the cycle
01 Mar, 2026

Breaking the cycle

THE confrontation between Pakistan and Afghanistan has taken a dangerous turn. Attacks, retaliatory strikes and the...
Anonymous collections
01 Mar, 2026

Anonymous collections

THE widespread emergence of ‘nameless donation boxes’ soliciting charity in cities and towns across Punjab...