Hockey India has announced a 20-member Indian squad, featuring two players from Odisha, for the 9th Womens Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament, scheduled to be held at the newly-built International Sports Complex in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh from 19 to 28 November 2026.

The two Odisha players are defender Pooja Sahoo and midfielder Sunelita Toppo. Salima Tete will continue to lead the team with Sjoerd Marijne as chief coach. The six-team competition will feature India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and South Korea. Like India, South Korea too have won the title three times.

The hosts will enter the tournament as defending champions and three-time winners, having secured the title in 2016, 2023 and 2024. India will be aiming to continue their impressive run and complete a hat-trick of titles.

The tournament will follow a round-robin format, with each team playing the other five once. The top four teams at the end of the league stage will qualify for the semi-finals.

INDIAN WOMEN HOCKEY TEAM: Goalkeepers: Bansari Solanki, Bichu Devi Kharibam. Defenders: Nikki Pradhan, Jyoti Rumavat, Jyoti Singh, Sushila Chanu, Lalthantluangi, Pooja Sahoo. Midfielders: Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Sunelita Toppo, Salima Tete (c), Neha Goyal, Sakshi Rana, Baljeeet Kaur, Ishika Chaudhary. Forwards: Navneet Kaur, Deepika Sehrawat, Beauty Dungdung, Lalremsiami, Mumtaz Khan. Chief Coach: Sjoerd Marijne.
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PHOTO: Odisha women hockey internationals Sunelita Toppo (Left) and Puja Sahoo express happiness after getting selected in the Indian team for the Womens Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament 2026.