BENGALURU: Forty-one national titles have made Indian Railways the benchmark in domestic women’s basketball. But this week, the team will get a chance to test how their dominance translates beyond India when they take on Asia’s leading clubs at the FIBA Women’s Basketball League Asia, set to get underway at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Tuesday.For coach Anitha Pauldurai’s side, the six-team competition offers the reigning national champions a rare opportunity to test themselves against teams accustomed to a higher level of club competition. Moreover, two overseas recruits in each squad add further depth to the challenge.The tournament, which concludes on Oct 25, brings together clubs from China, Japan, South Korea, Chinese and the Philippines alongside Railways.“India needs exposure, especially on the women’s side. It doesn’t matter whether we win or lose. The important thing is we will get to play against teams from Japan and Korea. Conducting these types of tournaments in India is a big step for women’s basketball,” Anitha told TOI on the eve of the tournament.Indian Railways, which won its eighth consecutive Senior National Championship earlier this year, has been placed in Group B alongside Japan’s Denso Iris and South Korea’s Cheongju KB Stars. The hosts will open against Denso on Tuesday before taking on KB Stars on Wednesday. Group A includes Sichuan Yuanda Meile of China, Akari Sparks of the Philippines, and Cathay Life Tigers of Chinese Taipei.The group stage will be played in a round-robin format from Oct 20 to 22, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the crossover semifinals on Oct 24. The final will be held on Oct. 25.Anitha is keen to ensure the experience benefits the entire squad, including its younger members. “I plan to give everyone a chance on the court. All 12 players, including the juniors, will get at least 10 minutes to play. They need to use this experience and prepare for future tournaments,” she added.India international Pushpa Senthil Kumar and Dharshini Thirunavukkarasu will be central to Railways’ campaign in the six-day competition, while Harima Sundhari Munishkannan will be one of the youngsters to watch. Mysuru’s Harshitha Kelttira Bopaiah is also part of the Indian squad, adding local flavour.For the hosts, the task is not just to compete, but an opportunity to measure their game against the continent’s best and gain valuable exposure at the highest club level.
