KATHMANDU, Jan 26: A 23-member preliminary national women’s squad of Nepal has been announced on Friday for the upcoming mini-tournament to be played in Bhubaneshwar, India from February 7. 

The four-nation tournament will feature the host India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. 
The tournament is taken as a preparation for the upcoming SAFF Women’s Championship to be organized by Nepal from March 12 to March 22 at the Shahid Stadium in Biratnagar.

Head coach Hari Khadka, while announcing the preliminary squad, said that the team will have only 20 players after the India tour. Forward Niru Thapa will lead the team. 

Khadka, after announcing the squad on Friday, said, “The tournament to be played in India will help the players find exposure before the major SAFF Women’s Championship. We will reduce the number of players from 23 to 20 players after the India tour.’’ 

The Nepali team has been working hard aiming to set a record by winning the SAFF for the first time in its history.

In the previous editions, Nepal has lost the final three times against India.

The Group A of the championship has Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan, while India, Maldives and Sri Lanka are in Group B. Initially, the tournament was planned to be organized in Sri Lanka, but later the country refused to organize it. Nepal then got the chance to organize the tournament.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Anjana Rana Magar, Usha Nath, Anjila Tumbapo Subba 
Defenders: Hira Kumari Bhujel, Gita Rana, Punam Jargha Magar, Amrita Jaishi, Kabita Dhimal, Sunita Chaudhary, Puja Rana, Manmaya Limbu 
Midfielders: Bimala Chaudhary, Anita Basnet, Dipa Rai, Manjali Kumari Yonjan, Sharmila Thapa, Saru Limbu, Renuka Nagarkote, Anita KC 
Forwards: Anu Lama, Rekha  Poudel, Niru Thapa (C), Sabitra Bhandari 

 
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• Nepal