New Delhi, Feb 20: India on Friday named six uncapped players in a 26-member squad for next month’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup football tournament in Australia, with hopes of reaching the quarterfinals by punching above its weight.
A quarterfinals berth will allow the team to have a shot at FIFA World Cup qualification for the first time.
Among the 26 players in the squad, eight were part of the last Asian Cup that was hosted by India in 2022 — Sweety Devi Ngangbam, Shilky Devi Hemam, Sanju, Anju Tamang, Pyari Xaxa, Grace Dangmei, Manisha Kalyan and Sowmiya Narayanasamy.
India withdrew from the tournament after just one game due to a COVID outbreak despite staying inside a bio-secure bubble in Mumbai.
Defenders Sarita Yumnam and Sushmita Lepcha, midfielders Jasoda Munda, Sanfida Nongrum and Aveka Singh, and forward Kaviya Pakkirisamy are the uncapped players named in the squad.
Placed in Group C, India will begin their campaign against Vietnam on March 4 in Perth, followed by a match against Japan on March 7 at the same venue. The last group stage match will be against Chinese Taipei on March 10 in Sydney.
The top two sides from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will progress to the quarter-finals.
The four quarter-final winners will qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The losing quarter-finalists will contest the play-offs for the two remaining direct spots allocated to the AFC for the World Cup. The two play-off losers will have another chance of qualifying for Brazil via the play-off tournament.
After a four-week camp in Turkiye, the Blue Tigresses arrived in Perth on February 11.
Grace Dangmei is the highest-capped player and top-scorer in India’s squad with 23 goals in 91 appearances. Anju Tamang is the senior-most player at 30 years of age.
Just like in the 2022 edition squad, the 20-year-old Shilky Devi Hemam is the youngest in the Indian squad.
As far as club representation is concerned, East Bengal FC have the most players — eight — in India’s Asian Cup squad, followed by Sethu FC (6) and Sribhumi FC (4).Aveka Singh and Manisha Kalyan, who play for Naestved HG (Denmark) and Alianza Lima (Peru) respectively, are the only two players who play for clubs abroad.
The Squad: Goalkeepers: Panthoi Chanu Elangbam, Shreya Hooda, Sowmiya Narayanasamy.
Defenders: Astam Oraon, Juli Kishan, Martina Thokchom, Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam, Sanju, Sarita Yumnam, Shilky Devi Hemam, Sushmita Lepcha, Sweety Devi Ngangbam.
Midfielders: Anju Tamang, Aveka Singh, Babina Devi Lisham, Jasoda Munda, Sanfida Nongrum, Sangita Basfore.
Forwards: Grace Dangmei, Kaviya Pakkirisamy, Lynda Kom Serto, Malavika P, Manisha Kalyan, Pyari Xaxa, Rimpa Haldar, Soumya Guguloth.
Head coach: Amelia Valverde. (PTI)
