With the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Championship fast approaching, Nadia Khan, the star striker of the Pakistan Women’s national football team, is confident that this year’s squad can deliver a stronger performance than in previous tournaments.

In an interview with a local news outlet, the 23-year-old expressed her optimism for the upcoming competition, highlighting the improvement in the team’s overall quality. After being sidelined for a year, Nadia reflected on her journey back to the field, saying, "I’ve been away from football for a while due to my ACL injury. It’s been a long 12 months of recovery, and even though I’ve played at the club level, it’s been since Nepal that I last represented the national team. Alhamdulillah, I’ve come back stronger, and I’m fully recovered. I’m excited for this tournament, and with the team we have, I’m confident we can make a real impact."

Khan stressed the importance of more competitive opportunities for the team, stating, "We deserve more chances to play because we work so hard in training. Competing internationally is something we need more of, and Inshallah, we’ll find our rhythm as we get more games in the future."

She also noted the significant development of local players since her initial involvement with the team. "There’s been noticeable progress in their skills, especially their ball control and understanding of the game," she remarked.

Regarding the delays in securing No Objection Certificates (NOCs), Nadia assured that the team is focused on their preparations and is not letting off-field issues affect their mindset, leaving such matters in the hands of the management.

The Pakistan Women’s football team is set to depart for Nepal on October 12, with the tournament kicking off on October 17 in a highly anticipated match against rivals India.