Sabitra Bhandari ‘Samba’, forward for the Nepali National Women’s Team, has made history by scoring her 50th international goal during the WAFF Women’s Championship in Saudi Arabia. Bhandari’s milestone came during a 5-0 victory over Iraq, where she scored all five goals for her team.
Known as the “Goal Machine,” Bhandari has been a consistent scorer for Nepal since her debut goal in 2014 against Bhutan during the SAFF Women’s Championship. Her goals have come across a variety of competitions, including the SAFF Championship, South Asian Games, Olympic Qualifiers, Hero Women’s Gold Cup, Nadezhda Gold Cup, and international friendlies.
Bhandari’s most prolific scoring record is against Bhutan, where she has netted 9 goals. She has also scored 7 goals against the Maldives. This latest performance against Iraq marks her fifth career hat-trick.
Sabitra Bhandari’s Goals
- SAFF Women’s Championship: 19 goals
- South Asian Games (SAG): 5 goals
- Olympic Qualifiers: 4 goals
- Hero Women’s Gold Cup: 4 goals
- Nadezhda Gold Cup: 7 goals
- International Friendlies: 5 goals
