As the Bihar Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024 begins today, November 11, the Indian team, led by new captain Salima Tete, is eager to begin their journey and defend their title. This historic event marks Bihar’s first-ever international hockey tournament, bringing together some of Asia’s top teams, including Paris Olympics silver medallists China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand,. The event runs till November 11 to 20.
Captain Salima Tete, alongside vice-captain Navneet Kaur, will lead India’s opening match against Malaysia on November 11. The Indian women’s hockey team holds a strong recent record against Malaysia, having defeated them 5-0 at the Jharkhand Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023, 6-0 at the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, and 9-0 at the Women’s Asia Cup 2022.
Proud of her new leadership role, Salima Tete shared her anticipation for the tournament, saying, “This is the first time I will be leading the team out in a major international tournament, and I am proud that I have been trusted with this responsibility. The mood of the team is very good, and we are eager to get the Bihar Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024 underway. We play against Malaysia first, but our minds are set that we need to play as a team, not as individuals, and we will win all our matches.” She added that the competition will be a valuable step towards Olympic qualification, saying, “This experience will also help us prepare for our mission to qualify for the next Olympics. We are ready—now is the time to show everyone that we are a very fit, high-level team capable of beating the best teams in the world.”
After Malaysia, India will face Korea on November 12, followed by rest day before they meet Thailand on November 14. On November 16, the Indian team will take on China, the Paris Olympics silver medallists, and conclude the pool stage against Japan on November 17. India will need to finish among the top four teams to secure a place in the semi-fonals on November 19, with the final scheduled for November 20.
This tournament is the Indian team’s first Asian competition under Chief Coach Harendra Singh, who joined the team earlier this year. Singh expressed his confidence in the team’s preparation, stating, “The team’s body language has changed in the last few months, and at this point, we are all well aware of our roles and responsibilities. The Bihar Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024 is a big platform for the team to excel and showcase our potential. This is the first step towards the ‘mission LA28,’ and the team is eager to show everyone that we are on the right path.”
The Indian team’s opening match against Malaysia will take place on November 11 at 4:45 PM IST. Fans can catch the action live on Sony Sports Ten 1 and stream it on SonyLiv, with all Indian matches also broadcast on DD Sports. As India takes the field, anticipation is high for a thrilling tournament that could set the stage for their journey to the LA28 Olympics.