Istanbul, Feb. 19 -- The historic city of Istanbul is far from frozen in the month of February. But then, the temperature does dip and a brisk winter air leaves a definite chilly feeling for anyone who arrives in Turkey's well-known winter sun destination.

This is, however, not a new experience for Ashalata Devi, the seasoned defender, who will lead India in the four-nation Turkish Women's Cup beginning in Alanya, Turkey, on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. She 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 arrived at the Istanbul airport on its way to Alanya, the...