Sepak Takraw: A team high on confidence

India has participated in the sport over the last three editions of the Games but has won no medals. However, the men’s team recently secured the silver medal in the Asian Sepak Takraw Championship 2017.

Representational Image.

Sepak Takraw is a South-East Asian sport that combines techniques of football and volleyball.

Two teams of three players each are positioned on either side of the net and players are allowed to only use their head, feet, knee and chest to touch the ball.

The sport was introduced at the 1990 Asian Games and, with 22 gold medals since, Thailand has largely dominated the sport. Myanmar and Malaysia are the other two well-performing nations.

India has participated in the sport over the last three editions of the Games but has won no medals. However, the men’s team recently secured the silver medal in the Asian Sepak Takraw Championship 2017 and will head into the Asiad high on confidence.

India has sent a squad of 24 – 12 men and 12 women – to Jakarta-Palembang. In the men’s regu category, India has been paired with South Korea, China and Nepal in Group B.

In the team regu event, the side will play Indonesia and Iran in Group B. The women’s team has been drawn with Thailand, Laos and South Korea in Group A of the team regu event and with Thailand, Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia in Group B of the quadrant event.