Mumbai: The Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has named the 13-member women’s squad that will compete in Leg 1 of the Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Sevens Series 2025, set for September 20–21 in Hangzhou, China.
The tournament will be staged at Hangzhou Normal University, the venue for the rugby sevens competition during the 2023 Asian Games. This year’s series expands from eight to 12 teams in both men’s and women’s divisions, reflecting the sport’s growing profile in Asia.
India secured its spot through consistent silver medal finishes at the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy, a four-year run that underscored the team’s steady rise. The stakes in Hangzhou are significant: the highest-placed team, excluding Japan and China, will qualify for World Rugby’s HSBC SVNS Division 3.
Rahul Bose, President of the IRFU, called it a watershed moment: “This is a historic moment for Indian rugby. For the first time, our women’s team will play in Asia’s top-tier sevens competition. Their hard work and medal-winning consistency have earned this chance. Playing at this level strengthens our pathway to global competition.”
The team will be led by captain Shikha Yadav, with vice-captain Dumuni Marndi, and coached by Paul Delport, a former Springbok Sevens player with two SVNS titles and a Commonwealth Games bronze medal. Delport, assisted by Terence Joseph, brings over a decade of international experience.
Yadav said the debut carried a sense of responsibility and pride: “To lead India into the Asia Rugby Sevens Series for the first time is a huge honour. We’re ready to prove that India belongs here and to inspire the next generation.”
India are drawn in Pool F with Hong Kong China, Thailand and the Philippines. Performances in Hangzhou will inform squad selection for Leg 2 in Colombo, scheduled for October 18–19.
Confirmed Squad: Shikha Yadav (C), Dumuni Marndi (VC), Amandeep Kaur, Mama Naik, Ujjwala Ghuge, Akanksha Anand Katkade, Guriya Kumari, Sandhya Rai, Bhumika Shukla, Sandhyarani Tudu, Nirmalya Rout, Arti Kumari, Kalyani Patil.
