Nepal names squad for AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, June 21: Nepal’s final squad for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers was confirmed on Friday.

Head coach Patrick De Wilde announced the lineup, making just one change to the team that recently played a friendly against Thailand. Pratiksha Chaudhary has been included in place of Sushma Tamang. Pratiksha, who represents APF Club in domestic competitions, has earned her first call-up to the senior national team.

Nepal has been drawn in Group F alongside hosts Uzbekistan, Laos, and Sri Lanka. The team will begin its campaign against Laos on June 29, face Sri Lanka on July 2, and play its final group match against Uzbekistan on July 5.

Only the group winner will qualify for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, scheduled to be held in Australia next year.

Nepal has previously participated in the Women’s Asian Cup three times—in 1986, 1989, and 1999. After a 26-year absence, the team is aiming to return to the continental stage. In the last edition of the qualifiers, held in India in 2022, Nepal failed to progress beyond the group stage.

Squad: (Gks) Anjila Tumbapo Subba, Usha Nath, Anjana Rana Magar, (Dfds) Gita Rana, Nisha Thokar, Samikshya Ghimire, Manmaya Damail Pratiksha Chaudhary, Bimala BK, Puja Rana, Amrita Jaishi, (Mfds) Bimala Chaudhary, Anita Basnet, Renuka Nagarkote, Preeti Rai, Saru Limbu, Sabita Rana Magar, Sarawsoti Hamal, (Fwds) Sabitra Bhandari, Rashmi Kumari Ghising, Chandra Bhandari, Anita Kc and Rekha Poudel.