India Outclasses Singapore: Aiming for Historic Finish at Asian Women’s Handball Championship 2024

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India secured an emphatic 35-22 victory over Singapore on Sunday at the Asian Women's Handball Championship (AWHC) 2024 in New Delhi, setting up the chance for their best finish in tournament history. India's highest placement has been sixth.

They will face China on December 10 in the playoff for 5th/6th place. Buoyed by enthusiastic home support, India began the match with high intensity. A strong attacking display from Menika and Bhawana Sharma helped the team establish a 9-6 lead midway through the first half.

At the defensive end, captain Diksha Kumari and goalkeeper Nina Shil played pivotal roles, with Shil saving a penalty and earning the Player of the Match honor. The second half saw India maintain their dominance, ultimately securing a convincing win over Singapore.

The AWHC, organized by the Asian Handball Federation and presented by the World Handball League (WHL), has highlighted the fighting spirit of this young Indian team. Competing against some of Asia's top teams, India has demonstrated remarkable progress throughout the tournament.

Their campaign began with a 31-28 victory over Hong Kong-CHN, followed by a narrow two-point loss to Iran, one of the semi-finalists from the previous edition. India also recorded the group stage's highest goal count against Japan.

Reflecting on her team's performance, captain Diksha Kumari said: "Our team has shown incredible spirit and resilience throughout this tournament, whether against Hong Kong, Singapore, Iran, and even Japan.

Every match has been a learning experience for us, and we have pushed ourselves to compete with some of the best teams in Asia at our home. Scoring consistently and staying strong defensively has been our focus, and we're proud of how we've come together as a unit. This journey inspires us to aim higher."

While the Indian team's campaign has underscored their potential, it also signals the need for sustained growth to elevate their standing from underdogs to a formidable Asian force. Earlier in the day, China secured their spot in the 5th/6th place playoff by defeating Hong Kong-CHN 38-14.

In the semi-finals, South Korea advanced to the final after outclassing Iran 33-20. They await the winner of the Japan vs. Kazakhstan match to decide the championship on December 10.