Chiang Mai, June 22 -- In just over 24 hours, the Indian senior women's team will kick off their AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 Qualifiers campaign in the northern Thai city of Chiang MaiIt wouldn't be completely wrong to note that the continent's premier competition has been somewhat ill-fated for the Blue Tigresses in the last few decades.

India last made it to the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2003. And when they hosted the tournament in 2022, a COVID outbreak in the team meant that India had to withdraw after only the first game and the results were declared void, as per the AIFF official website..

So, when head coach Crispin Chettri and his Blue Tigresses landed in Thailand on June 16, their only goal was to earn that ticket to Au...