Indian Women’s U19 National Team head coach Sukla Dutta called up a 23-member squad for the SAFF U19 Women’s Championship 2024 scheduled to take place in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 2 to 8 February 2024. This will be the second participation of the Young Tigresses in the competition which started five years ago. India finished as runners-up in that inaugural edition losing to present hosts Bangladesh in 2019. The Young Tigresses will depart for Bangladesh on January 30, 2024.
The 2024 edition will be played in a single round-robin format with the top two teams at the end of the round facing each other in the final. All the matches will be played at the Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Dhaka. India will start their journey in the SAFF U19 Women’s Championship against Bhutan on Friday, 2 February 2024. Dutta’s team will go on to face hosts Bangladesh two days later and then Nepal in their final game of the round on February 6, 2024.
The 23-member squad:
Goalkeepers: Khushi Kumari, Anika Devi Sharubam, Hempriya Seram
Defenders: Heena Khatun, Vikshit Bara, Sonibia Devi Irom, Juhi Singh, Nishima Kumari
Midfielders: Shivani Toppo, Lalita Boypai, Akhila Rajan, Rivka Ramji, Arina Devi Nameirakpam, Cindy Remruatpuii Colney, Menaka Devi Lourembam, Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam, Thoibisana Chanu Toijam
Forwards: Babita Kumari, Nitu Linda, Sulanjana Raul, Neha, Pooja, Sahena TH
Head Coach: Sukla Dutta
Some players have joined the national camp during the IWL season, most of them from East Bengal like Cindy Colney, Sibani Devi, Thoibisana Chanu and Sulanjana Raul. Khushi Kumari, Heena Khatun, Vikshit Bara, Menaka Devi, Juhi Singh, Babita Kumari, Pooja and the four East Bengal players were all part of the squad that played the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers last year. Meanwhile, Nitu Linda and Neha were part of the U20 squad that played in Bangladesh early last year.
India’s fixtures at the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship:
Friday, 2 February 2024
India vs Bhutan - 2:30 PM IST
Sunday, 4 February 2024
Bangladesh vs India - 6:30 PM IST
Tuesday, 6 February 2024
India vs Nepal - 2:30 PM IST
Thursday, 8 February 2024
Final: (Top two teams) - 5:30 PM IST
