SAFF kicks off today, Bangladesh set sights on crown

Bangladesh will begin their bid to reclaim the SAFF Championship title after 23 years when they face Bhutan at the National Stadium in Dhaka at 8 pm on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, defending champions India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan at 3:30 pm as the 15th edition of South Asia's biggest football tournament gets under way.
For the hosts, the challenge is twofold: deliver a long-awaited title in front of their home supporters and live up to the expectations created by the arrival of Hamza Choudhury and a host of expatriate players.
Yet, despite the return of the tournament to Dhaka after eight years, the city has shown little sign of a football festival.
Bangladesh last lifted the trophy on home soil in 2003, their only SAFF Championship triumph. More than two decades have passed since then.
There have been several promising campaigns and moments that raised hopes, but the title has remained elusive.
This time, home advantage, familiar surroundings and a squad strengthened by expatriate talent have given supporters fresh reasons to dream.

The big question is whether Thomas Dooley's men can turn that promise into success.
Bangladesh's recent performances have hardly helped their cause.
The optimism generated by Hamza and the other expatriates has yet to produce consistent results.
In the recent FIFA ASEAN Cup, Bangladesh lost to Malaysia, Singapore and hosts Indonesia, scoring only twice while conceding 13 goals in three matches.
The 9-2 defeat against Indonesia was particularly damaging.
Limited preparation against stronger South-East Asian opposition offered some explanation, but the results have inevitably raised concerns ahead of a home tournament.
Dooley has named ten expatriate players in his 28-member squad, including Hamza, Shamit Shome, Farhan Ali Wahid, Jamal Bhuiyan, Tariq Kazi and Zayyan Ahmed.
Their individual quality has strengthened the side, but bringing together players who have spent much of their careers in different football environments is not without challenges.
Bangladesh's immediate task is to make a winning start against Bhutan.
With only two group matches, against Bhutan and Sri Lanka, there is little room for dropped points.
A victory on Thursday would put the hosts in a strong position before their final group match against Sri Lanka.
But the islanders' improved squad means Bangladesh will need to be at their best to secure a place in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, defending champions India have arrived without their strongest squad, with Indian Super League commitments and a New Zealand tour forcing them to rely largely on young and under-23 players.
Nepal are also absent because of a FIFA suspension.
These developments have opened up the competition and given Bangladesh a better opportunity to reach the final.
Sri Lanka, however, should not be underestimated.
They have also strengthened their squad with a number of expatriate players and could pose a serious threat in Group A. Maldives, meanwhile, are the only visiting team yet to reach Dhaka.
Four of the five participating sides are already in the capital, with Maldives expected to arrive on Thursday evening.