New Delhi, Oct 14 (IANS) The senior women's national team head coach, Santosh Kashyap, on Monday announced a 23-member squad for the SAFF Women's Championship 2024, to be played at the Dasarath Stadium in Nepal from October 17 to 30.

India are clubbed with Bangladesh and Pakistan in Group A, while hosts Nepal are drawn in Group B with Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan. After an intense three-week camp in Goa, the team will leave for Kathmandu on Tuesday.

The Blue Tigresses will begin their campaign with a match against Pakistan on October 17, followed by the concluding group stage tie against defending champions Bangladesh, On the other hand, hosts Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives will be the four teams in Group B vying for a spot in the semifinals.

The women's national team will be looking for their first win since February 2024 when they defeated Hong Kong 2-0 in the Turkish Cup. Recently the side played two away games against Myanmar where they lost the first 1-2 but a solid performance in the second saw the game tied 1-1.

It will also be the first challenge for Kashyap as the head coach of the side as he was appointed on September 16, ahead of the training camp in Goa. He is a former India international, with almost a decade of coaching experience in the I-League, managing clubs like Mohun Bagan AC, Aizawl FC, Mumbai FC, Salgaocar FC, Royal Wahingdoh FC, Rangdajied United FC, ONGC and Air India. The 58-year-old has also been the assistant coach of NorthEast United FC, and most recently of Odisha FC, in the Indian Super League (ISL).

India Women’s Squad:

Goalkeepers: Payal Ramesh Basude, Elangbam Panthoi Chanu, Linthoingambi Devi Maibam.

Defenders: Ashalata Devi Loitongbam, Shilky Devi Hemam, Juli Kishan, Ranjana Chanu Sorokhaibam, Sanju, Dalima Chhibber, Aruna Bag, Linthoingambi Devi Wangkhem.

Midfielders: Priyangka Devi Naorem, Sangita Basfore, Karthika Angamuthu, Bala Devi Ngangom.

Forwards: Rimpa Haldar, Grace Dangmei, Soumya Guguloth, Karishma Purushottam Shirvoikar, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Manisha, Anju Tamang, Jyoti.

Head coach: Santosh Kashyap