Hockey India mes squads

New Delhi, Jan 25: Hockey India (HI) on Monday announced 18-member squads for both India men and women’s teams for the 12th South Asian Games (SAG) to be held in Guwahati and Shillong from February 5 to 16.

The tourment will see India women play Sri Lanka and Nepal while the men’s team will be competing against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and arch rivals Pakistan. The matches will be hosted at Moulla Md. Tayabullah Hockey Stadium, Bhetapara in Guwahati from February 7 to 14.

The women’s team will play under the guidance of chief coach Neil Hawgood and will be led by Ritu Rani. The team will see Yogita Bali and Sol Minz guard the goal posts while Jaspreet Kaur, Renuka Yadav, Gurjeet Kaur, Hnialum Lal Ruat Feli, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam and Ponmma Mallamada rendra will form the defensive wall.

Captain Ritu along with Deepika, Sonica, Preeti Dubey and Shyama Tirgam will form the midfield while Rani, Jyoti Gupta, Pum Barla, Neha Goyal and Soundarya Yendala will form the forward line.

The men’s team under coach B.J. Kariappa will have Mandeep Antil as captain. Vikas Dahiya and Pankaj Rajak have been chosen as goalkeepers while Gaganpreet Singh, Chiyan A.B., Sukhmanjeet Singh, Nilam Sanjip Xess, Ajitesh Roy and the experienced Gurbaj Singh will form the defence line.

The midfield line includes Manpreet Singh, Mangal Singh Chahal, Vikas Chaudhary, Ajay Yadav and Pradhan Somman P. In the forward line Mohd. Umar, Anup Amarpal Valmiki, Mandeep Antil, P.L. Thimman, Gagandeep Singh and Ajit Kumar Pandey will be strikers for India. IANS