India made a big splash at the inaugural SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship in Bangkok recently, finishing second. And two key pillars of the side, Nishka Parkash and Diti Kanungo, are proud products of the Mumbai Knights football club, who ply their trade in Div-II of the Indian Women’s League. For Parkash and Kanungo, the only two Mumbai girls in the national team, this was their maiden outing in Indian colours, and they are extremely proud of it.
“I never believed I could reach this level… that I could play and also score for India. When I scored my first goal of the tournament [vs Maldives], I celebrated by kissing the India badge on my shirt. I couldn’t believe it. It was a defining moment of my life,” Parkash, 21, who resides in Mahalaxmi, told mid-day recently. “Wearing the India jersey was the best feeling ever. My best outing was against Nepal, where I scored four goals in our 8-1 victory” said Grant Road-based Kanungo, 20. India ended the tournament in second place, winning four of their six games and losing two.
Mumbai Knights coach Preetam Mahadik
Transitioning from football to futsal is no cakewalk. The latter demands a lot more from an individual in terms of speed, skill, strength and stamina. It involves only five players per side on a compact field, with the ball also being smaller and slightly heavier. But luckily for Parkash and Kanungo, their training regime at Mumbai Knights under coach Preetam Mahadik, set them up perfectly. “At Mumbai Knights, our coach makes us practice on beaches, so when you play on that rough terrain, your close-control skills on the ball improves a lot,” explained Parkash, who is studying for a Bachelor in Financial Markets from HR College.
“Also, a lot of our training features five-a-side matches. We even participate in a lot of five-a-side amateur tournaments in Mumbai. That helps sharpen our ability to pass the ball in tight spaces,” said Kanungo, a Bachelor of Commerce student at NMIMS.
The rapid rise of his charges has left Mahadik brimming with pride. The Bandra-based coach, who masterminded his senior team to the MFA Women’s Premier League title last year, while also guiding the sub-junior team (U-13) to the MFA title, believes Parkash and Kanungo are role models for his other players: “I feel proud. Playing for the country was the ultimate goal that I had in mind for them. Both Nishka and Diti are extremely good technique-wise and are strong physically. I was confident they would do well in futsal.”
