Kolkata, September 21, 2026: Rugby India has announced the 13-member Senior Women’s Rugby Sevens squad that will represent the country at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, from October 1 to 3.
India will compete in the Women’s Rugby Sevens tournament at the Mizuho Park Rugby Field and has been placed in Pool B alongside defending champions China, Hong Kong China and Malaysia.
The Asian Games marks another significant chapter for India’s Women’s Rugby Sevens programme. India made its Asian Games debut in the discipline at Guangzhou 2010, before missing the 2014 and 2018 editions. The team returned at Hangzhou 2022 and finished seventh.
Six members of the Hangzhou 2022 squad are part of the current team, providing continuity ahead of the competition. The returning players include Shikha Yadav, Sandhya Rai, Mama Naik, Dumuni Marndi, Kalyani Patil and Vaishnavi Patil.
The team enters the Asian Games after a year of regular international competition, including its second consecutive season in the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series. India finished sixth in Round 1 of the 2026 Series in Suzhou, matching its result from the previous year.
In preparation for the Games, the squad has also undergone an extended national camp at the Sports Authority of India’s Netaji Subhas Eastern Centre in Kolkata. The camp focused on team combinations, tactical systems, conditioning and match preparation.
Head Coach Paul Delport said the Asian Games is an important opportunity for the team and highlighted the squad’s focus on consistency, composure under pressure and executing the work developed throughout the season.
Rugby India President Rahul Bose said the Asian Games provides an important platform for Indian athletes and noted the significance of the Women’s Rugby Sevens team returning to the Games for a second consecutive edition.
The Indian squad comprises Shikha Yadav (Captain), Dumuni Marndi (Vice-Captain), Amandeep Kaur, Arti Kumari, Bhumika Shukla, Vaishnavi Patil, Guriya Kumari, Kalyani Patil, Mama Naik, Nirmalya Rout, Sandhya Rai, Sandhyarani Tudu and Ujjwala Ghuge.
India will begin its Asian Games campaign on October 1 against Hong Kong China at 8:50 AM IST, followed by a pool-stage match against China at 3:30 PM IST. On October 2, India will face Malaysia at 8:50 AM IST. The knockout and classification stages are scheduled for October 3, with timings to be confirmed.
