Indian Junior Women Team announced for FIH Hockey Junior World Cup Women 2013

New Delhi, 30 June 2013: Hockey India today announces its Junior Women Hockey team for the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup Women 2013 to be played at Monchengladbach in Germany from 27 July-4 August 2013.

Hockey India selectors B P Govinda, Savitri Purty, Chief Coach Senior Women National Team Neil Hawgood, Coach Junior Women National Team Narinder Saini and Scientific Advisor Matt Tredrea alongwith Government Observer Harbinder Singh selected the 18 players with 9 standby players on the basis of their recent performance during the Scotland tour, Senior Women team Europe tour, FIH World League Round 3, Rotterdam and fitness in the preparatory camps. It was a challenging task for selectors to pick up the best 18 out of the existing 46 eligible players.

Defender Sushila Chanu is the Captain of the team while Forward Rani is the Vice-Captain.

India is placed in Pool-C with New Zealand, Australia and Russia. India will play their opening match against Australia on 27 July followed by New Zealand on 28 July and Russia on 30 July. All the matches will be played at the two pitches of the Warsteiner Hockey Park in Monchengaladbach, Germany. Match schedule is attached herewith.

The team is undergoing a camp in preparation of the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup Women from 22 May 2013 at NIS, Patiala. As part of their preparationsIndian Junior Women team played five matches against Scotland from 1-11 May 2013. Out of the total five matches played in Scotland, India won four matches against Scotland U-21 side and lost one match against senior Scottish side that too with a margin of two goals.

The Indian team will depart for Germany on 15 July 2013 and will be playing four warm-up games ahead of their World Cup campaign on 27 July. India will play their first warm-up game against Belgium on 17 July followed by Netherlands on 19 July, South Africa on 21 July and 24 July.

The List of players is as under-

GOALKEEPERS

1.  Sanarik Chanu

2.   Bigan Soy

DEFENDERS

3.   Pinky Devi

4.   Deep Grace Ekka

5.   Namita Toppo

6.   Manjit Kaur

7.   M. N Poonamma

8.   Sushila Chanu (Captain)

9.   Monika

MIDFIELDERS

10.   Lily Chanu

11.   Lilima Minz

12.   Navjot Kaur

13.   Vandana Kataria

14.   Ritusha Arya

FORWARDS

15.   Poonam Rani

16.   Rani (Vice-Captain)

17.   Anupa Barla

18.   Navneet Kaur

STANDBY’S

1.   Sukhmani Virk (Goalkeeper)

2.   Manmeet Kaur (Defender)

3.   Kiran Dahiya (Defender)

4.   Sushila Lakra (Defender)

5.   Renuka Yadav (Midfielder)

6.   Nikki Pradhan (Midfielder)

7.   Jaswinder Kaur (Forward)

8.   Neha Goyal (Forward)

9.   Punam Barla (Forward)