New Delhi [India], July 25 (ANI): Softball Association of India (SBAI) on Monday introduced the nation’s 16-member ladies’s contingent that may journey to Hangzhou, China for the nineteenth Asian Games scheduled from September 23 to October 8.
As per a press launch from SBAI, after trials for the possible’s listing, adopted by a two-week teaching camp-cum-trials held in Delhi in June-July, the Softball Association of India (SBAI) – the governing physique of the game within the nation – has named a 16-member squad together with standbythree reserves.
Reigning nationwide champions Maharashtra contributed the utmost variety of gamers within the Indian group. Five women from the state acquired a spot within the nationwide squad.
Kerala and Punjab contributed three and two women, respectively, whereas there’s a participant every from Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh.
“The participation of the Indian women’s softball team in the Asian Games signifies the opportunity for our players to shine and prove their mettle against the best teams in the continent, including Tokyo Olympics champion Japan and world-ranked number three Chinese Taipei. Moreover, this milestone also holds the promise of inspiring future generations of young athletes, particularly girls, to take up softball as a sport of choice,” stated Neetal Narang, the primary girl president of the Softball Association of India.
Considering the Indian ladies’s softball group’s common participation within the Asian championships, Softball Asia granted a wild card entry to India.
India’s wild card admission was authorised by Softball Asia’s government committee in February this yr.
Softball is making its debut within the nineteenth version of the Asian Games and also will be a medal sport within the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Earlier, it was additionally a medal sport within the final version of the quadrennial video games in 2020 Tokyo.
“Performing at the Asian Games is our first step and comes with a huge responsibility as we aspire to be a strong team ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. We are taking Hangzhou as a strong platform towards our goal of qualifying for the 2028 Olympics,” added Narang.
Team India Softball Squad: Aishwarya Ramesh Puri, Aishwarya Sunil Bodke, Monali Mansing Natu, Swapnali C. Waydnade, Saee Anil Joshi, Anjali Pallikkara, Stephy Saji, Rinta Cheriyan, Mamatha Guguloth, Ganga Sona, Mamta Minhas, Sandeep Kaur, Kumari Manisha, Isha, Swetasini Sabar, Nitya MalviStandby: Priyanka BaghelReserves: Manisha Kumari, Priti Verma, Chitra. (ANI)