Move aside! The men are ready to make inroads into netball, a sports that for long has been the dominion of women.
In a historic move for the sport, Netball Asia (NA) will host the first-ever Men’s Asian Netball Championship at the Thygaraj Stadium in New Delhi next month.
World Netball is also scheduled to host the inaugural Netball World Championships in 2028.
This is not the first time that an Asian level netball tournament is being held. A similar tournament was held almost a decade ago, but this will be the first time that it would be a sanctioned tournament.
Top teams from the continent including Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand and Maldives are expected to participate in the championships with the hosts India. However, there is no indication that Pakistan, who also have their own men’s team will participate.
The Men’s Asian Netball Championship marks a significant step toward elevating the visibility and competitiveness of men’s netball in the region, setting the stage for future international growth and recognition.
But, whether the sports can garner the same enthusiasm as for basketball remains to be seen.
The first unofficial Asian Men’s Netball Championship was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia ten years ago.
Malaysia won the final over Pakistan in a thrilling match overtime match while India beat Brunei to win the bronze medal. Malaysia hosted the tournament again the following year with India defeating Pakistan in the final.
