KARACHI: Pakistan’s gifted younger centre-back Syed Abdullah Shah is upbeat forward of spherical one of many Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026, the place the Shaheens will face Cambodia.
The matches might be held on October 12 and 17 this yr, with Cambodia internet hosting the primary leg and Pakistan second.
Pakistan additionally confronted Cambodia within the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers however misplaced in each legs in June 2019 with an mixture rating of 4-1.
Nonetheless, Shah was assured that Pakistan, who’ve by no means received a World Cup Qualifier earlier than, might be adequately ready for the match towards Cambodia since it is going to face powerful opponents within the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 Qualifiers earlier than the essential fixture.
Pakistan will journey to Bahrain to face Japan on September 6, the hosts on September 9, and Palestine on 12 of the identical month in Group D of the U23 occasion.
“It will be a repeat conflict since we confronted Cambodia through the 2022 World Cup qualifiers as effectively in 2019,” Shah instructed Geosuper.television on Thursday.
“We’re actually assured about our probabilities since majority of our squad is U23. Earlier than the World Cup qualifier, we are going to get matches towards Japan, Bahrain and Palestine, within the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, that are stronger opponents as in comparison with Cambodia. These matches will give us confidence earlier than the World Cup qualifier.”
Based on present FIFA Rankings, Cambodia are ranked 176, in the meantime Pakistan are 201.
The winner of the Pakistan-Cambodia conflict will be a part of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Tajikistan in Group G for spherical two of the qualifiers.
Shah additionally hoped Pakistan’s squad can be full earlier than the World Cup Qualifier towards Cambodia. He hinted on the inclusion of Adil Nabi, a midfielder who performs for Cypriot top-flight facet Doxa Katokopias FC, and former Pakistan captain Kaleemullah Khan — who final performed for Pakistan in 2020 through the tour of Malaysia.
“There might be two to a few good additions to the squad. Adil Nabi would possibly be a part of us and Kaleemullah may make a comeback as effectively. The brand new additions will full our squad,” he stated.
“Profitable and dropping is within the fingers of Allah Almighty however we are going to give our greatest on the sector.”
It have to be famous that the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad is prone to host the house leg towards Cambodia after correct renovations, which embody the pitch and floodlights.
Pakistan final hosted a FIFA/AFC World Cup Qualifier in 2011, when Bangladesh performed on the Punjab Stadium in Lahore.
In the meantime, Jinnah Stadium final hosted a world match through the 2014 SAFF Girls’s Championship.
Shah, who grew to become the youngest Pakistani participant to characteristic in a overseas League in 2022 after becoming a member of Dhivehi Sifainge Membership within the Maldives second Division on the age of 21, additionally make clear taking part in on house soil.
“I’ve performed fairly a number of matches with the senior group in addition to at junior stage however none of them have been at house,” he stated.
“Enjoying at house will certainly be advantageous for us since we all know how the pitch behaves on the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad or another venue within the nation. We may also have the assist of the native crowd, which can encourage us to do effectively on the sector.”
He additionally spoke about taking part in alongside fellow defender Easah Suliman, who modified his nationwide eligibility from England with the intention to signify Pakistan earlier this yr.
Suliman, who has additionally served England U19 as their captain, was a part of the Pakistan squad for the four-nation cup in Mauritius and the SAFF Championship in India just lately.
“Enjoying with Easah Suliman has been extraordinarily helpful for us. He really is a gem of a participant. He guides us on the sector on account of his expertise which helps us enhance in areas the place we’re missing,” he stated.
“Easah backs us even when we make errors on the sector. Me and Mamoon [Musa Khan] have discovered lots from him through the time he has been with the group.”
Pakistan might want to enhance to qualify for the subsequent spherical of FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers because it has misplaced all eight matches, scoring only one objective, after FIFA lifted a 15-month suspension final yr.