'India headstrong to create history at Asian Cup after Covid-19 heartbreak in 2022': Dalima Chhibber

Dalima Chhibber was part of the 2022 campaign when India were forced to withdraw from AFC Women's Asia Cup due to COVID-19 outbreak (X/Dalima Chhibber)

The year 2022 started with a major heartbreak for football lovers across the country. India was the host of the AFC Women's Asian Cup, but the COVID-19 outbreak in the camp forced them to withdraw from the tournament. India had then secured a berth in the continental showdown based on the quota reserved for the host nation. However, fate had other reservations, and India bowed out of the tournament without playing a single match.

Roll forward to 2025, the women's team is a force to reckon with, and frankly speaking, in much better shape compared to the men's. The Blue Tigress, under head coach Crispin Chettri, qualified for the continental championship last month. What makes the feat even more special is that this is the first time it has been achieved through the qualification route.

Dalima Chhibber, who was part of the 2022 campaign, knows exactly how it felt then and how motivated the team is now to deliver results in Australia, the venue of the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup. "I've been playing for the country for almost a decade now, and our dream is to reach the FIFA World Cup. And after 20-25 years, our recent exploits reflect our capabilities, the direction Indian women's football is headed. COVID didn't allow us to play at the Asian Cup in 2022. But this time we are headstrong, mentally tough, and looking forward to creating more history," the 27-year-old told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday.

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Chhibber was in the national capital as a Guest of Honour for the curtain raiser of the 64th edition of the Subroto Cup, which kicks off in New Delhi from August 19.

The Indian defender hailed the qualification as a "testament of the team's capabilities" and highlighted the progress by pointing out the recent result, which was a 2-1 win over a strong Thailand side.

When asked about the impact the new head coach brings to the table, Chhibber said: "I feel it is very nice to have Crispin Sir as part of our team. He brings a lot of knowledge and experience of working in women's football." The coach has a rich CV in the women's football ecosystem, having served as the head coach of Sethu FC. He is currently operating in a dual coaching role with Odisha FC and India.

Coming to sponsorship in women's football, which has mostly remained a gray area, Chhibber is optimistic about improvement. "We are seeing more and more sponsors coming. In the Subroto Cup as well, we've seen the sponsorship and investment increase. As you know, football does not have a long history as it does in Europe or in Western countries. We'll have to be patient, we're moving ahead, and I'm sure in the future, with the kind of awareness that has been going around football with both boys and girls, you will see more investment coming in," she signed off.