NEW DELHI, Jul 12: Anahat Singh, all of 14, was on Tuesday included in India’s squash squad for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, beginning July 28.
The Delhi-based teenager has been rewarded for her sensational run at the U-15 level. She had recently won a tournament in Germany and also won the Asian title in the U1-5 category in June.
Others who will be making their CWG debut, include Velavan Senthilkumar and Abhay Singh, who will feature in the men’s doubles event.
Saurav Ghosal, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal, who have carrying the Indian flag in the squash world over the past 15 years, will be medal contenders in multiple categories.
Dipika, who won two worlds titles with Saurav and Joshna at the World Doubles Championships in April six months after giving birth to twins, will be aiming for a gold in mixed and women’s doubles.
Dipika and Joshna had made history by winning the women’s doubles in the Glasgow edition of CWG eight years ago.
In the Gold Coast edition four years ago, the duo settled for silver. Dipika and Saurav had secured silver in mixed doubles. Dipika is not yet back to playing singles.
Barring powerhouse Egypt, players from world’s top squash playing nations take part in the CWG, including athletes from Australia and England.
Harinder Pal Sandhu, who had suffered career threatening back injury in 2018, is back in action and will be playing doubles alongside Ramit Tandon.
Squad: Men Singles: Saurav Ghosal, Ramit Tandon, Abhay Singh
Women Singles: Joshana Chinappa, Sunyana Kuruvilla, Anahat Singh
Women’s Doubles: Dipika Pallikal / Joshna Chinappa
Mixed Doubles: 1. Saurav Ghosal/Dipika Pallikal 2. Ramit Tandon / Joshana Chinappa
Men’s Doubles: 1. Ramit Tandon / Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, 2. Velavan Senthilkumar / Abhay Singh
Team Officials: Christopher Walker (foreign coach), Cyrus Poncha (team manager), Graeme Everard (physio). (PTI)
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