- September 7, 2023
India vs Iraq, King’s Cup 2023: Here’s Why Sunil Chhetri is Missing From Blue Tigers’ Starting XI – News18
Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri (AIFF)
Sunil Chhetri was left out of India’s squad for the King’s Cup 2023 tournament since he and his wife were recently blessed with a baby boy
The Indian men’s football team is set to kick-start their King’s Cup 2023 journey with a semifinal clash against Iraq on Thursday, September 7, however, one key name will be missing from the Blue Tigers’ starting XI.
Coach Igor Stimac picked up a star-studded playing XI for the clash against Iraq, who are the highest-ranked team in the tournament although Sunil Chhetri won’t feature in the tournament.
India’s captain, leader and legend, and the third highest active goal scorer in world football behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Chhetri was recently blessed with his first child.
India vs Iraq Live Score, Kings Cup 2023
The 39-year-old and his wife Sonam Bhattacharya were blessed with a baby boy on August 31, and ahead of the King’s Cup, the Indian stalwart had asked the AIFF to be excluded from the tournament being played in Thailand to be with his wife.
In place of Chhetri, Stimac opted to go with Manvir Singh to lead India’s line against the Lions of Mesopotamia who are placed 70th in the FIFA rankings.
For the unversed, this is the first meeting between India and Iraq since 2010, when the two sides last faced off in a friendly wherein the Lions of Mesopotamia won by 2-0.
India vs Iraq Head to Head
The Blue Tigers have squared off against Iraq six times, and they have only managed a 1-1 draw once, losing on five remaining occasions so Stimac’s side will have their task cut out, with the absence of their talismanic striker.
India’s playing XI for King’s Cup 2023 clash vs Iraq:
Gurpreet Singh, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Akash Mishra, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Manvir Singh, Jeakson Singh, Mahesh Singh, Nikhil Poojary, Ashique Kuruniyan
