Team announced for FIH Women’s Junior World Cup; 2 from Odisha in 20-member squad

New Delhi: Hockey India on Thursday named the 20-member Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team for the much-awaited FIH Women’s Junior World Cup 2021 which was postponed to 2022 due to the omicron-threat in South Africa. The tournament is scheduled to begin on April 1 in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

Two players — Jiwan Kishori Toppo and Ajmina Kujur — from Odisha have been selected in the 20-member team to play for the country.

The Indian team, grouped in pool D along with Germany, Malaysia and Wales, will be Captained by Salima Tete and Vice Captained by Ishika Chaudhary. They will kick-start their campaign on April 2 with their first match against Wales Junior Women followed by their match against German Junior team on April 3 and they will play their last group-stage match on April 5 against Malaysia. The Quarter Finals will be held on April 8  whereas the Semi Finals is scheduled for April 10 and the Final on April 12.

The 20-member squad consists of goalkeepers Bichu Devi Kharibam, who recently made her Senior India debut at the FIH Hockey Pro League matches against Germany, and Khushboo. The defenders include Marina Lalramnghaki, Preeti, Priyanka, Ishika Chaudhary and Akshata Abaso Dekhale, who also made her Senior India debut against Germany at the recently held FIH Hockey Pro League matches in Bhubaneswar.

Reet, Ajmina Kujur, Baljeet Kaur and Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke will form the Indian midfield along with Salima Tete, Sharmila Devi, Lalremsiami — all three were part of the Indian Women’s team that finished fourth in the Tokyo Olympics.

The forwardline will feature Lalrindiki, Jiwan Kishori Toppo, Mumtaz Khan, Beauty Dungdung, Deepika and Sangita Kumari, who also made her Senior debut recently.

Speaking about the team, Chief Coach Janneke Schopman said, “After a long wait our Junior players are definitely ready to start their Junior World Cup experience. It was difficult to finalize the selection as all players showed a lot of progress in the past months which is great to see.”

“With a couple of players making their debut for the Senior Team in the Pro League recently, I believe that the added experience will have a positive influence. The team overall has a nice mixture of different skills and talents and am excited to see them taking on the best teams in the world at U21 level,” Schopman added.

The Indian Junior Women’s Team’s best show in recent times was at the FIH Junior Women’s World Cup in 2013 when they finished on the podium with a Bronze Medal beating nemesis England in a shootout.

Indian Junior Women will begin their campaign on 2 April 2022 against Wales at 1230 hrs IST. 

The matches will be live on watch.hockey. 

 

Indian Junior Women’s Team:  

 

Goalkeepers 

1. Bichu Devi Kharibam

2. Khushboo

 

Defenders

3. Marina Lalramnghaki

4. Preeti

5. Priyanka

6. Ishika Chaudhary (Vice Captain)

7. Akshata Abaso Dekhale

 

Midfielders 

8. Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke

9. Salima Tete (Captain)

10. Reet

11. Ajmina Kujur

12. Sharmila Devi

13. Lalremsiami

14. Baljeet Kaur

 

Forwards

15. Lalrindiki

16. Jiwan Kishori Toppo

17. Mumtaz Khan

18. Beauty Dungdung

19. Deepika

20. Sangita Kumari

 

Standbys

1. Madhuri Kindo

2. Neelam

3. Manju Chorsiya

4. Rutuja Dadaso Pisal

5. Annu