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Ludhiana duo among five state players in Indian baseball team
India will compete against strong teams from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand and Chinese Taipei in the international event
Five talented players from Punjab, including two from Ludhiana, have brought pride to the state by earning a spot in the Indian team for the upcoming 4th BFA Women’s Baseball Asian Cup, scheduled to be held in China from October 26 to November 1. India will compete against strong teams from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand and Chinese Taipei in the prestigious international event.
Among the selected players are Khushdeep Kaur (21) from Ferozepur, daughter of a van driver at a private school. A first-year BEd student at Dev Samaj College for Women, Khushdeep has already won two gold medals in senior national baseball championships, proving her consistency and skill in the sport.
Nishu (21) from Ludhiana, daughter of a labourer, is pursuing her MA at Guru Nanak Girls College, Model Town, Ludhiana. She holds three gold and one bronze medal at senior national level championships and has become a beacon of inspiration for young women athletes from modest backgrounds.
From Moga, Manveer Kaur (23), daughter of a daily wage labourer, is pursuing MPEd from GNDU Amritsar. She is a three-time gold medalist at senior nationals and also bagged a silver medal in the Asia Cup qualifying round held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Ramandeep Kaur (25) from Muktsar, currently working as a junior softball coach, has also made her mark with three gold medals at national championships and a silver medal in the Bangkok qualifier.
The fifth player, Navdeep Kaur (23) from Ludhiana, daughter of a private car driver, is pursuing PGDMC at Guru Nanak Girls College. She has won two gold medals at senior nationals and a silver medal in the Asia qualifying round.
Harbir Singh Gill, secretary of the Punjab Baseball Association, said that all the selected players come from economically weak families and urgently need financial support to participate in the championship. “Each player requires around ₹1 lakh to ₹1.25 lakh to cover airfare, visa fees, kits, and registration charges. The association has provided ₹10,000 per player, but it’s not enough,” he said.
The players were chosen based on their performance in a national tournament held in Maharashtra in September, and they are currently attending a training camp at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Gill, which runs till October 22.
