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Thailand win gave me recognition: Sangita Basfore
Midfielder says qualifying for 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup was a dream the India team had for 10 years
Kolkata: “From 2015 to 2025, we had a dream,” Sangita Basfore said. Our batch had set a lot of targets: qualifying for Olympics, AFC Women’s Asian Cup and even World Cup, she said. “After the final whistle at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai, I wept because I remembered snatches of those conversations.”
In an international career that is 10 years and 70 matches old, Basfore picked the 2-1 win against Thailand on July 5 as her best. “Because of that match, everyone got to know me,” she told HT in an interview on a video call on Thursday when India climbed seven places to 63 in the FIFA rankings.
India’s ascent in the rankings happened because they had tamed Thailand, ranked 46th, in their lair; a result that meant a first-time qualification for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup finals. Switched from a holding midfielder to No.8 by new India coach Crispin Chhetri, Basfore got both goals but for her, the team was the real star.
And by team she included all those who had dreamt with her. This was as much for Aditi Chauhan, Asha di (Ashalata Devi), Dalima Chhibber, even Bembem Devi, Basfore’s favourite Indian player, who have either retired or are left out of the India squad as it was for Sanju Yadav and Sweety Devi who were in Thailand, she said.
Nine players in Chiang Mai were also part of the ill-fated 2022 Asian Cup campaign where hosts India were scratched because of an outbreak of Covid-19 in the squad. “They have not forgotten that. It came up before we played Thailand; the players saying how unfair it was to have been scratched. They had pledged they would prove to the world that they could qualify,” said Basfore. She missed the tournament with an ACL injury.
India have been drawn with Japan (8th in FIFA ranking), Vietnam (37) and Chinese Taipei (42) in next March’s finals in Australia. “We have played them before. We know the mistakes we made and we will work on them,” said Basfore. India lost to Japan and Vietnam in the 2023 Olympic qualifiers and to Chinese Taipei in the last Asian Games.
“The women’s league has got a lot better and that has helped improve skill and fitness levels. I don’t think that will be a problem anymore. Our preparation will have to focus on how the opponents play,” said Basfore.
Which explains why despite being ranked the lowest in the group, Basfore said the aim is to finish in the top eight for it. “Because the only target is to qualify for the 2027 World Cup. We want to work hard and show that we can do it.”
Basfore is now preparing for the Asian Women’s Champions League qualifiers. It is where she will make her debut for Indian Women’s League champions East Bengal, injury having prevented her from playing in the league they won scoring the most (38) and conceding the least (10) number of goals.
With nearly 10 India players on East Bengal’s roster, Basfore said the qualifiers in Phnom Penh against Phnom Penh Crown FC (August 25) and Kitchee FC (August 31) will help club and country. “The more national players there are in East Bengal, the better the tournament will be for us. And when the players go to the national camp, they will be fit.”
No one in Basfore’s family was sceptical about a 10-year girl in shorts playing with boys — her uncle Bijoy Basfore played for Mohun Bagan and helped her learn the ropes — but she accepted that women’s football has a lot of ground to cover. She is also proof of how far it has travelled.
“I got a job because of football. Now, when I go home (in Kalyani, nearly 60km from Kolkata), people tell me, “Didi, start an academy, I want to train with you,”” she said.
