STRIKER RANI TO LEAD WOMEN’S U-21 HOCKEY TEAM

New Delhi: Striker Rani Rampal was on Saturday named the captain of the 18-member Indian women’s junior hockey team for the six-nation Volvo International Tournament to be held in Breda, the Netherlands from July 19 to 26.
The 18-member squad was selected from the preparatory camp held here. Rani is the ace forward of the senior team.
Apart from her, several players of the senior team — defenders Deep Grace Ekka and Namita Toppo, and midfielders M.Lily Chanu and Lilima Minz — are also part of the Under-21 team to be coached by national chief coach Mathias Ahrens.India will face the hosts in their first match.”This tournament is very important for us as the outcome here will create a base for us for the 7th Asia Cup to be played in September this year,” Ahrens said in a release.
“This team has been picked on the basis the performance they showed during the preparatory camp and I am confident they will deliver. Our first match is against the Netherlands and we are aiming for winning start”.Goalkeepers: Inderpreet Kaur, Sheweta.Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka, Namita Toppo, Gurjit Kaur, Jaspreet Kaur, Manjit Kaur, Rashmita Minz. Midfielders: M.Lily Chanu, Lilima Minz, Navjot Kaur, Renuka Yadav, Preeti Dubey.Forwards: Anupa Barla, Rani Rampal, Poonam Barla, Navneet Kaur, Navpreet Kaur.