Dipika to lead Indian team at World Squash

Bangalore, Nov 9 (IANS): Dipika Pallikal will lead the Indian challenge in the Women’s World Team squash championship to be held in Nimes, France, Nov 12-17.

The event will be staged in France for the first time in the 33-year history of the tournament.

Besides World No.13 Pallikal, the contingent includes the experienced Joshana Chinappa (World No. 32), Asian junior champion Anaka Alankamony (73) and Junior No.2 Aparajitha Balamurukan (142).

Accompanying the team, that is seeded 10th, are Cyrus Poncha and Maj (Retd) S. Manaim as the coaches.

In 2010, the India finished in 11th position, but the girls are confident of doing better this time. India are clubbed with Ireland and Argentina for the preliminary league.

Argentina, Korea and Namibia will compete for the first time in this edition where a record 26 nations will take part in the biennial WSF event.

The pools are (with seeding in brackets):

Pool A: [1] England, [16] Scotland, [23] Republic of Korea. Pool B: [2] Egypt, [15] Wales, [24] Mexico. Pool C: [3] Malaysia, [14] South Africa, [19] China, [26] Spain. Pool D: [4] Hong Kong China, [13] Czech Republic, [20] Colombia, [25] Namibia. Pool E: [5] New Zealand, [12] USA, [22] Japan. Pool F: [6] Australia, [11] Canada, [18] Austria. Pool G: [7] Ireland, [10] India, [17] Argentina. Pool H: [8] Netherlands, [9] France, [21] Germany.