New Delhi: India named Friday a nine-member team for the inaugural edition of the FIH Women’s Hockey 5s tournament. The event will be played in Lausanne, Switzerland from June 4 to 5. There are two Odisha players in the nine-member team. They are Rashmita Minz and Mariana Kujur.
The team will be captained by experienced goalkeeper Rajani Etimarpu and Mahima Choudhary will be her deputy. Teams from Uruguay, Poland, South Africa and hosts Switzerland will take part in the event.
Rashmita who is a defender will be joined by Ajmina Kujur. The midfielders of the team are Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Mahima Choudhary and Preeti.
Forward Mariana and Mumtaz Khan were part of the U-18 team that played the Youth Olympics Hockey 5s competition. Giving them company will be Rutaja Dadaso Pisal. Suman Devi Thoudam and Rajwinder Kaur have been named as standbys.
Chief Coach Janneke Schopman, will accompany the team. He expressed excitement ahead of her first outing at the Hockey 5s event.
“I have never coached Hockey 5’s in an official tournament so it will be interesting experience for me. We have picked a team with variety,” said Schopman.
“Plenty of young talent proved themselves in the Junior World Cup. I am keen to see them play in this format combined with players from the Senior Core Group,” he added.
The squad: (Goalkeeper): Rajani Etimarpu (captain); (Defenders): Rashmita Minz, Ajmina Kujur; (Midfielders): Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Mahima Choudhary (vice-captain), Preeti; (Forwards): Mariana Kujur, Mumtaz Khan, Rutaja Dadaso Pisal.