Asian Youth Girls Netball Championship in B'lore from July 24

Bangalore, July 20 (UNI) Eight nations will vie for the top honours in the fifth Asian Youth Girls Netball Championship, beginning here from July 24.

The participating teams were defending champions Malaysia, runner up Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Maldives, Pakistan, besides India, Netball Federation of India Secretary General Dr P S Sharma told newspersons here today.

On the possibility of Pakistan withdrawing from the tourney following the recent serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, he said the Ministry of External Affairs had cleared the visit and the team was awaiting clearance from the Pakistan government. A flight from New Delhi to Bangalore had been booked for the players for July 22.

He said teams from Singapore and Hong Kong have arrived and the remaining teams were expected to arrive within the next two days.

Organising secretary Mohan Kumar, who was also present, said the probables for the Indian team had fitness camps in Patiala, Chandigarh and here under Coach Champa Gunavardhana of Sri Lanka.

India finished fifth in the last edition, held in Colombo in 2004.

The NFI Selection Committee, which met here yesterday, had selected a 12-member team to represent the country in the event.

The team: Preeti Banchor (Captain), K P R Monalisa, Divya B Dasar, Richa Bisht, P P Parameshwari, Tanuja Bala Jena, H S Leela, Latika Mittal, Reeta, T Naga Prasanna, Salam Sona Devi, Sikha Dutta.

Coach: Champa Gunavardhana, Assistant Coaches: Madubala Devi and T Selvaraj.

UNI MSP GD DH ND1542