Asian Games 2023: Indian women’s softball team - full squad
The 16-member Indian women’s softball team will make its debut at the upcoming Hangzhou Games.
A 16-member Indian women’s softball team will make its debut at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, the People's Republic of China. The softball competition will be held from September 26 to October 3 at the Shaoxing Baseball & Softball Sports Centre.
India were given a wildcard for the continental event last year by Softball Asia - the governing body for the sport in the region - based on the Indian women’s softball team’s regular participation in the Asian championships.
Along with the Indian squad selected by the Softball Association of India, one standby player and three reserves have also been chosen following the trials held in June and July in Delhi.
The Indian women’s softball team last competed at the Women’s Asia Cup 2023 in April, finishing last after failing to win a single match.
Ranked 50 in the world, the Indian women’s softball team will be up against some of the higher-ranked teams at the Asian Games.
Japan, Chinese Taipei, China, the Philippines, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand and debutants Singapore are the teams confirmed for the upcoming softball event.
World No. 2 Japan are the reigning champions and have won the Asian Games gold medal in five consecutive editions, starting from Busan 2002. China are the next best with three top finishes.
At the Asian Games 2023 softball event, the teams will be divided into two groups. Following the group stage, the top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Round while the fourth and fifth-placed nations will compete for classification.
The first and second-placed teams from the Super Round will play for the gold medal while the third and fourth-positioned teams will vie for the bronze medal.
Softball made its Asian Games debut in 1990, when Beijing hosted the quadrennial event.
The sport was dropped from the Olympic Programme in London 2012 and Rio 2016 but made a comeback at Tokyo 2020. It won’t, however, feature at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Indian women’s softball team for Asian Games 2023
Team India: 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 Malvi
Standby: Priyanka Baghel
Reserves: Manisha Kumari, Priti Verma, Chitra