Bengaluru, Dec 3 (IANS): The Indian junior women’s hockey team left for the prestigious Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2024 from Kempegowda International Airport on Tuesday morning. The Junior Asia Cup which is a qualifying event for the FIH Junior World Cup is scheduled to be held from December 7 to 15 in Muscat, Oman.

The Indian team will be up against China, Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh in Pool A while Pool B will feature South Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka.

As defending champions, India’s campaign will be spearheaded by captain Jyoti Singh along with vice captain Sakshi Rana and the squad also feature players who have had the experience of playing with the senior side such as Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Sunelita Toppo, Mumtaz Khan, Deepika and Beauty Dungdung while the team is coached by former India captain Tushar Khandker.

"We are very confident and upbeat about our campaign. We have a good, experienced team. We have worked hard over the past few months and the team is quite eager to do our best in Muscat, Oman," expressed Jyoti Singh ahead of the team’s departure.

"It’s heartening to see the Indian Junior Men’s team enter the knockout stage and they are cruising towards the title. We have been following their matches and we will be there to cheer for them in the remaining matches. We urge Indian hockey fans to watch us play and cheer for us. Muscat has a big Indian community, we are hopeful they will come to cheer us," added the vice-captain Sakshi Rana.

India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on December 8.