Istanbul (Turkey), Feb 19 : Having played the four-nation Turkish Women's Cup twice, Ashalata Devi, the seasoned defender is hoping for a good performance from the Indian women's team when the event starts in Alanya, Turkey, on Wednesday.

Ashalata, who will lead India in the Turkish Women's Cup 2024, has played this tournament twice before and is well aware of the tough competition India are expected to face in the next one week.

Estonia, Kosovo and Hong Kong are the other three teams in the tournament. 

As the Indian team reached the Istanbul airport on its way to Alanya, the Indian captain said the players are a bit tired but looking forward to the event. “It's been a long journey from Bengaluru to New Delhi to Istanbul.

Yes, we are feeling a bit tired because of a lack of rest. 

“But that is not going to deter us from playing well in this tournament. We have two days before the first match. So, we will take the necessary rest and get prepared to do well in the three matches we have on schedule. But we are professional players. However tiring the journey is, we remain prepared to take everything in stride and give our best. It is time we got the show on the road,” said the star footballer from Manipur. 

Equally confident is Langam Chaoba Devi, who has been handed over the baton of head coach for the first time.  “We had seven good days in the Bengaluru camp and our preparation was good. We have been concentrating on defending because we are playing against physically strong countries. Our girls are fit as we are in the middle of the IWL season. I have full confidence in my squad. We are getting a tour like this after a long gap and are very eager to play these three matches,” said the coach.