Hong Kong, China, is set to host the 2024 World Squash Team Championships from December 9th to 15th.
For the first time, both the men’s and women’s events will be held concurrently at the same venue.
This landmark event will feature a record 195 players, divided among 26 men’s teams and 23 women’s teams, each consisting of three players and a reserve, representing 29 nations.
India will be sending an eight-member squad, comprising both men and women, to compete in this prestigious tournament.
The Indian men’s team will compete in Pool F against Colombia and Ireland, while the women’s team is placed in Pool C alongside Belgium, Colombia, and Italy.
The men’s team includes Abhay Singh, Velavan Senthilkumar, Veer Chotrani, and Suraj Chand. The women’s team features Anahat Singh, Akansha Salunkhe, Nirupama Dubey, and Anjali Semwal.
Notably, 19-time National Champion Joshna Chinappa will take on her first coaching role for the women’s team, which includes two teenagers, Anahat (16) and Nirupama (19).
The men’s team will be coached by Harinder Pal Sandhu. The tournament will have six pools for the women’s teams and eight pools for the men’s teams.
After the pool stage, the competition will follow a multi-match draw format, ensuring that all teams continue to play to determine their final standings.
Below is the schedule of Pool matches for the women’s team:
The Mens Schedule
India has seen remarkable performances from its squash players recently. Velavan Senthilkumar, currently ranked 43rd in the world, has had an impressive career trajectory.
He won the Asian Junior Championships in 2016 and the British Junior Open in 2017. Velavan has secured four PSA Challenger titles and recently reached the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Cup and the Open Squash Classic in the USA.
Abhay Singh, ranked 51st in the world, has had an impressive year, winning the men’s doubles title at the Asian Squash Doubles Championship with Velavan Senthilkumar and the mixed doubles title with Joshna Chinappa.
He also secured victories at the Goodfellow Classic and the Willingdon Masters. Veer Chotrani, currently ranked 83rd, made history by winning the Division A Pool Trophy at the 2024 National Collegiate Individual Championships, becoming the first men’s squash player from Cornell University to achieve this feat.
He also won the QuantiFi LifeTime MetroWest and
White Oaks Cup titles this year. Suraj Chand, ranked 154th, recently won the Sunil Verma Memorial Open and reached the semi-finals at the World University Championship. He has shown consistent performance in various national and international tournaments, making him a valuable player for the Indian team.
Anahat Singh, at just 16, has already secured seven PSA Challenger titles this year and is currently ranked 93rd in the world. She won two bronze medals at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, in the women’s team and mixed doubles events. Anahat also made history by becoming the youngest Indian to win a title at the British Junior Open in 2019 and has continued to impress with her performances on the international stage.
Akansha Salunkhe, ranked 69th in the world, has had a stellar year, winning the 2eme Open International Feminin de Couzeix/Limoges 2024 PSA Challenger title in France.
She also reached the finals of the Indian Nationals, where she finished as the runner-up. Nirupama Dubey, currently ranked 245th, has shown great promise with her performances in various tournaments.
She reached the semi-finals of the Indian Nationals and the quarter-finals of the Asian Junior U19 Championship. Nirupama also competed in the World Junior Team Championship, where she played a crucial role in India’s matches. Anjali Semwal, who has been making steady progress, recently won the Century Squash Bangalore Open, defeating top seed Sunita Patel in the final. She has been consistently performing well in national tournaments and is a key player for the Indian women’s team.
With squash being included in the LA Olympics 2028 and Indian players performing exceptionally well in recent competitions, there are high expectations from the Indian contingent.
