The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced a 31-player squad for the U-17 national camp, which will be held in Srinagar from July 8th. This camp is in preparation for the upcoming SAFF U-17 Men’s Championship, scheduled to take place in Bhutan from September 18th to 28th. India is grouped with Maldives and Bangladesh in Group A, while Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka form Group B.
After the SAFF tournament, the squad will continue training in Srinagar, gearing up for the 2025 AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers, to be held in Thailand in October 2024. Several players in the squad were part of the Indian team that won the SAFF Men’s U-16 Championship in Bhutan last September. Head coach Ishfaq Ahmed expressed his excitement about coaching these talented youngsters, noting that most players have been active in the U-17 youth league, while others were identified by scouts. He highlighted the benefit of the camp being held in Srinagar, as it will help the players adapt to playing at a high altitude, similar to the conditions in Bhutan.
In a significant development for the sport of pickleball in India, the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) announced a partnership with KheloMore, a digital platform founded by former Indian cricketer and national selector Jatin Paranjape. This collaboration aims to establish 100 AIPA-affiliated pickleball courts across the country within the next two years, with an investment of Rs 5 crore.
The partnership aims to provide top-notch facilities for players of all skill levels, further boosting the growing popularity of pickleball in India. Players will have access to KheloMore’s online booking system, real-time updates on court availability, and a community network. AIPA president Arvind Prabhoo emphasized the importance of this investment for grassroots development, particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. He believes this will create world-class facilities and foster a vibrant community of pickleball players.
Jatin Paranjape highlighted the significance of this collaboration, stating that AIPA is to pickleball what the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is to cricket. He expressed confidence that this partnership will significantly contribute to the game’s development on a large scale in India. This investment aligns with their vision of promoting a healthy and active lifestyle through sports.
In the world of tennis, the Sood twins, Chandril Sood and Lakshit Sood, will represent India in the over-30 section of the ITF World Masters tennis championship. They will be joined by Pulkit Mishra and Arun Bhosale in the tournament, which is scheduled to take place in Lisbon and Oeiras, Portugal, from August 4th.
