Asian Women’s Handball Championship 2024: India Begins Campaign Against Hong Kong

I

Historic Asian Women’s Handball Championship-2024 to begin on 3 December; host women’s team aims for a clean sweep in the prestigious tournament. French International WCKG, K.M. Rahaman Karmanadi The 20th Asian Women’s Handball Championship is all set to sweep across New Delhi from Tuesday at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. The first match of the new season will take place at 18:00 IST against Hong Kong as India seeks to better its sixth-place finish from the last edition.

India’s preparation has been very intense, and the team has been having rigorous training at the SAI Centre in Gandhinagar. Coach Sachin Chaudhary was confident in the team’s preparedness, saying, “The tournament means a lot for our players. They are prepared to leave it all out there.” As India faces tough teams in the group stage, the emphasis on creating a tight-knit unit could prove critical.

Handball stalwarts such as 16-time titleholder Korea, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, Japan, and Kazakhstan will compete in the fray. India has been placed in Group B along with Japan, Hong Kong, and Iran, while Group A consists of Korea, Kazakhstan, China, and Singapore.

Given that the top two from each group advance to the semifinals, it is a high-stakes format. Moreover, the top four will qualify for next year’s World Championship.

“This championship is crucial for us as it allows the team to compete at the highest standards and prove how far Indian handball has come in recent years,” said Coach Chaudhary.

Adding to the excitement of the tournament, Doordarshan will provide live coverage of the tournament for handball fans across the country.

India Squad:

Bhawana, Mitali Sharma, Manika Pal, Nina Shil, Shalini Thakur, Priyanka, Diksha Kumari, Sushma, and Sonika

Aiming to win in their campaign for the championship, India would look for a big game as they will be playing at home against Hong Kong.