Afeida dropped from Bangladesh XI for India clash

Head coach Peter Butler has left defender Afeida Khandokar out of Bangladesh's starting eleven for today's SAFF Women’s Championship match against India, making two changes to the side that defeated Maldives 4-2 on Thursday.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 8:00pm Bangladesh time.

Surma Jannat replaced Afeida in central defence, marking the first time the Satkhira-born defender has been left out of the starting lineup since making her international debut against Singapore in December 2023.

Surma will line up in defence alongside Surovi Akter Arfin, Kohati Kisku and Shamsunnahar Sr as Bangladesh look to contain the Indian attack.

Midfielder Monika Chakma also returned to the side after recovering from injury, replacing Umelah Chakma. She will be joined in midfield by Maria Manda and Momita Khatun.

Ritu Porna Chakma, Anika Rania Siddiqui and Shamsunnahar Jr will lead the attack, while Mile Akter will start in goal.

The omission is another setback for Afeida, who was stripped of the captaincy ahead of the tournament.

A regular in the national team since her debut, Afeida has played 24 consecutive international matches and captained Bangladesh in 14 of them. However, her performances have come under scrutiny in recent months, particularly over the team's struggles while maintaining a high defensive line.

She was reportedly held responsible for Maldives' second goal in the opening match after failing to stop a counter-attack, raising questions about her place in the side.

Signs of the change emerged during Bangladesh's final training session at the Don Bosco ground, where Surma Jannat was deployed in central defence as part of Butler's probable starting lineup.

After featuring in all 24 of Bangladesh's international and FIFA friendly matches since her debut, Afeida now faces the challenge of fighting her way back into the starting eleven.