<p>On Thursday, September 7, the Indian men’s football team will face Iraq in the semifinals to begin their King’s Cup 2023 campaign. However, the Blue Tigers’ starting lineup will be without one important player.</p>
<p>Although Sunil Chhetri won’t compete in the tournament, coach Igor Stimac selected a star-studded starting XI for the match against Iraq, the highest-ranked side in the competition.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-165472″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-learn-about-irdais-bima-bharosa-portal-to-file-a-complaint-against-an-insurance-co-750×469.png” alt=”theindiaprint.com learn about irdais bima bharosa portal to file a complaint against an insurance co” width=”1479″ height=”925″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-learn-about-irdais-bima-bharosa-portal-to-file-a-complaint-against-an-insurance-co-750×469.png 750w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-learn-about-irdais-bima-bharosa-portal-to-file-a-complaint-against-an-insurance-co-768×480.png 768w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-learn-about-irdais-bima-bharosa-portal-to-file-a-complaint-against-an-insurance-co-150×94.png 150w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-learn-about-irdais-bima-bharosa-portal-to-file-a-complaint-against-an-insurance-co.png 840w” sizes=”(max-width: 1479px) 100vw, 1479px” title=”Here is why Sunil Chhetri isn't in the Blue Tigers' starting XI for India vs. Iraq in the King's Cup of 2023 3″></p>
<p>The third-highest active goal scorer in football history, after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, is India’s captain, leader, and star, Chhetri, who just had his first kid.</p>
<p>On August 31, the 39-year-old and his wife Sonam Bhattacharya had a newborn boy. Prior to the King’s Cup, the Indian legend requested an exclusion from the competition so that he could be with his wife.</p>
<p>Manvir Singh will captain India’s line against the Lions of Mesopotamia, who are ranked 70th in the FIFA rankings, in lieu of Chhetri.</p>
<p>For those who are unaware, this is the first encounter between India and Iraq since their 2010 friendly match, which the Lions of Mesopotamia won 2-0.</p>
<p>Head-to-Head Match: India vs. Iraq</p>
<p>The Blue Tigers have faced Iraq six times, and only once have they secured a 1-1 draw, losing the other five times. With their talismanic striker missing, Stimac’s team will have their work cut out for them.</p>
<p>Indian starting lineup for 2023 King’s Cup match vs Iraq:</p>
<p>Sahal Abdul Samad, Akash Mishra, Anirudh Thapa, Gurpreet Singh, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Manvir Singh, Jeakson Singh, Mahesh Singh, Nikhil Poojary, and Ashique Kuruniyan</p>
<p>XI playing for Iraq:</p>
<p>Amir Al-Ammari, Ibrahim Bayesh, Osama Rashid, Jalal Hassan (GK), Merchas Doski, Frans Putros, Rebin Sulaka, Hussein Ali, Bashar Resan, Hussein Ali, and Ali Al-Hamadi.</p>
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Here is why Sunil Chhetri isn’t in the Blue Tigers’ starting XI for India vs. Iraq in the King’s Cup of 2023
