Punjab girls make mark in India's baseball silver medal win

Four young girls from Punjab have brought laurels to the state by playing in the Indian women’s baseball team that won the silver medal in the recently concluded BFA (Baseball Federation of Asia) IV Women’s Asian Baseball Cup 2025 Qualifier held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Among the four, two girls are from Ludhiana, while the other two are from Moga and Muktsar. The Indian team’s silver medal finish has also secured their qualification for the prestigious Asian Cup to be held in China in October. These four players are now aiming for a spot in the Indian squad for the Asia Cup and have already begun intense practice sessions.

Er Harbir Singh Gill, Secretary of the Punjab Baseball Association, told The Tribune that it was a proud moment for the state. “It is a significant achievement that four girls from Punjab made it into the nine-member Indian team and clinched the silver medal at the international level,” he said.

Harwinder Kaur and Navdeep Kaur hail from Ludhiana, while Manveer Kaur is from Moga and Ramandeep Kaur from Muktsar. Gill informed that eight countries participated in the championship, including Indonesia, India, Thailand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Iran, Cambodia and Malaysia. In the first match, India defeated Sri Lanka by 12-4. In the second, India edged past Pakistan with a 2-1 win. The team went on to beat Iran with a commanding 13-0 score. In the semi-final, India triumphed over host Thailand 6-5. However, in a closely contested final, India lost to Indonesia 4-5.

He added that all four players were National Gold Medalists, having won medals in the Senior National Championship held last year while representing the Punjab team. Their standout performances earned them a spot at a training camp in Sangrur, organised by the Amateur Baseball Federation of India, where both national and international coaches mentored them. It was from this camp that the four were selected for the Indian Women’s Baseball Team.

“Since these four players were already part of the Indian team and performed exceptionally, there is a 99 per cent chance they will be included in the final squad for the upcoming Asia Cup,” Gill said. Notably, the two Ludhiana girls received their initial training from a centre at Government Senior Secondary School, Gill village, under the aegis of the Punjab Baseball Association.