Mountains, clouds and the buzz in the city, add to it the fluctuating weather. A local saying in Nepali goes that in Nepal, you get to witness three seasons in a day.

On Thursday when Team India kicked-off their practice it was very pleasant indeed. Within ten minutes it poured, and it poured heavily. Onlookers including the watching journalists ran for shade even as the players continued in the rain. Barely half an hour later, it was bright and sunny and then a bit scorching.

“Isn’t it funny?” Gouramangi Singh, changing his boots at the dugout queried. “That’s the beauty of the Mountains,” he continued. “We arrived here early and have already had two practice sessions. We are ready for the challenge,” he pronounced.

The rain anyway couldn’t dampen the spirit of the Indian players who thoroughly enjoyed the high intensity practice session at the Police Headquarters Ground.

Who are the favourites in SAFF Championship? National Coach Wim Koevermans was asked at the official interaction.

“Look at this,” Koevermans pointed to the India logo on his shirt and smiled. “Every match is tough. Every match is a final,” he said.

India begin their campaign against Pakistan on September 1. “We’ve heard that Pakistan had a number of foreign based players in the squad. We will have a look at them when we play against them,” Koevermans said in response to a query from a journalist from Pakistan.

India’s Japanese born midfielder Arata Izumi admitted he was “excited” about the forthcoming Indo-Pak clash.

“I’m excited about playing Pakistan. We have a good track record at the SAFF Championship and there will always be pressure on us,” he said. “But we are taking it as a motivation and will try our best to maintain it.”

“I had a dream of playing International Football and am honoured to wear the India Blue,” he added.

Goalkeeper Sandip Nandy emphasised the importance of the first match of any Tournament. “The first match is always very tough and tricky too. We are taking it one match at a time,” he quipped.

Nandy was a member of India’s triumphant SAFF squad which won in Pakistan in 2005. “That was a memorable moment for me. But every Player wants to win every match and every Tournament. Even our opponents who would be coming hard at us have the same motive in mind. We are all playing for our Country,” Nandy who made a comeback to the National squad after five years commented.

(Report & Picture courtesy AIFF Media)