Hosts India will look to make a strong start when they face Hong Kong in their opening match of the 20th Asian Women’s Handball Championship, which kicks off here on Tuesday.

India is hosting the tournament for the first time, and the 25-member squad, captained by Diksha Kumari, faces a tough challenge against some of Asia’s top teams. India is placed in Group B alongside powerhouses Japan, Iran, and Hong Kong.

In addition to their opener against Hong Kong, India will take on Iran on December 4 and Japan on December 6 at the Indira Gandhi Arena here.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, with the top four securing spots in the 2025 World Women’s Handball Championship.

As part of their preparation, the team underwent a rigorous training camp at the NCO SAI Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, under head coach Sachin Chaudhary.

“Our focus in the training camp was on addressing the gaps from our previous outings and building a cohesive, unified team. We worked hard to strengthen our collective game,” said Sachin, who also led India in the 2022 AWHC, in a release.

The team features standout players like Menika, who was named in the Team of the Tournament at the 7th Asian Women’s Club League Championship, Bhawana Sharma and Priyanka Thakur from India’s historic 2022 Asian Women’s Junior Championship gold-winning team.

The squad also features experienced players like Manika Pal and Nina Shil, both of whom played pivotal roles in India’s 2019 SAF Championship victory.

“The excitement of competing in front of a home crowd fuelled the players and it was visible with every training session. This tournament means a lot to them, and they’re ready to give it their all,” Sachin said.

The tournament is presented by the World Handball League (WHL) and organized by the Asian Handball Federation.