Sweety Kujur to lead India at U-18 women’s Asia Cup
Sweety Kujur was on Friday named captain of the 18-member Indian women’s U-18 squad for the Asia Cup hockey tournament to be held in Kakamigahara, Japan, from May 29-June 6.
The squad features a five-member forward line led by Kujur, alongside Nousheen Naz, Priyanka Minz, Sandeepa Kumari and Nancy Saroha.
The midfield will comprise Shruti Kumari, Diya, Sneha Davde, Rashmeen Kaur, Nammi Geetashree and Pushpa Manjhi.
Defenders Sugan Sanga, Nilam Topno, Rubina Baxla, Kiran Ekka, Sulochani and goalkeeper Mahak Parihar and Khili Kumari complete the squad.
The Indian side heads into the tournament after several weeks of preparation at the national camp in Bhopal, where the coaching staff led by Rani focused on building combinations, improving match fitness and sharpening tactical execution.
“This tournament is a fantastic platform for these young athletes to gain international exposure and understand the demands of high-pressure matches,” Rani said in a HI release.
“We have focused heavily on fitness, tactical structure and team coordination over the past few weeks. The team is excited and motivated to represent the country, and our aim will be to play fearless hockey and challenge strongly for the title.”
The tournament will serve as an opportunity for the young Indian squad, captained by Sweety Kujur, to test themselves against some of Asia’s strongest teams.
As part of the preparations, the Indian team played a four-match series against Australia in Bhopal, which the hosts ended with a confidence-boosting win.
Placed in Pool A, India will compete against Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. India will open their campaign against Malaysia on May 30, followed by the clash against Korea on May 31.
Pool B features China, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Bangladesh.
The team will then conclude its pool-stage fixtures with the match against Singapore on June 2. The top two teams from Pool A and B will progress to the semi-finals scheduled on June 5, while the final will be played on June 6.
Indian Women’s U-18 Squad
Goalkeepers: Mahak Parihar, Khili Kumari
Defenders: Sugan Sanga, Nilam Topno, Rubina Baxla, Kiran Ekka, Sulochani
Midfielders: Shruti Kumari, Diya, Sneha Davde, Rashmeen Kaur, Nammi Geetashree, Pushpa Manjhi
Forwards: Nousheen Naz, Sweety Kujur (captain), Priyanka Minz, Sandeepa Kumari, Nancy Saroha.
India’s Schedule (All times IST):
May 30, 2026: India vs Malaysia — 05:30 am
May 31, 2026: India vs Korea — 05:30 am
June 2, 2026: India vs Singapore — 09:30 am.
