Indian Basketball Team Faces Defeat Against Iran in FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers
Dara Singh Chahal
New Delhi, 27th Feb 2024: The Indian men’s basketball team encountered a challenging 86-53 loss against Iran in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers 2025. The match, held at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, marked India’s second defeat in Group E following their earlier loss to Kazakhstan with a score of 63-50.
Iran, asserting dominance in Group E, secured its second consecutive victory, positioning themselves favorably in the points table. With the top two teams from the group earning spots in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 in Saudi Arabia, India faces an uphill battle to secure advancement.
In the opening quarter, India, ranked 81st in FIBA standings, displayed resilience, matching the pace set by world No. 27 Iran, with the score tied at 15-15. Despite commendable efforts from players like Arvind Kumar Muthu Krishnan, Muin Bek Hafeez, Amritpal Singh, and Pranav Prince, Iran held a narrow 23-20 lead by the quarter’s end.
India continued to compete fiercely in the second quarter, narrowing the deficit and trailing Iran by just three points before halftime. However, Iran surged ahead, concluding the first half with a 42-32 lead.
The momentum shifted decisively in Iran’s favor in the second half, with Salar Monji leading the charge, contributing 14 points to Iran’s dominant performance. India struggled to contain Iran’s offensive onslaught, conceding 25 points while scoring only 12 in the third quarter.
Despite the valiant efforts of Pranav Prince, who emerged as India’s top scorer with 11 points, the team couldn’t reverse the tide. The final quarter saw India concede 19 points while managing to score only 9, resulting in a substantial 33-point margin of defeat.
Looking ahead, the Indian basketball team will face Qatar and Kazakhstan in November, followed by concluding matches against Iran and Qatar in February next year, as they strive to bounce back and secure a spot in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025. Indian Basketball Team Faces Defeat Against Iran in FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers
The Indian men’s basketball team encountered a challenging 86-53 loss against Iran in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers 2025. The match, held at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, marked India’s second defeat in Group E following their earlier loss to Kazakhstan with a score of 63-50.
Iran, asserting dominance in Group E, secured its second consecutive victory, positioning themselves favorably in the points table. With the top two teams from the group earning spots in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 in Saudi Arabia, India faces an uphill battle to secure advancement.
In the opening quarter, India, ranked 81st in FIBA standings, displayed resilience, matching the pace set by world No. 27 Iran, with the score tied at 15-15. Despite commendable efforts from players like Arvind Kumar Muthu Krishnan, Muin Bek Hafeez, Amritpal Singh, and Pranav Prince, Iran held a narrow 23-20 lead by the quarter’s end.
India continued to compete fiercely in the second quarter, narrowing the deficit and trailing Iran by just three points before halftime. However, Iran surged ahead, concluding the first half with a 42-32 lead.
The momentum shifted decisively in Iran’s favor in the second half, with Salar Monji leading the charge, contributing 14 points to Iran’s dominant performance. India struggled to contain Iran’s offensive onslaught, conceding 25 points while scoring only 12 in the third quarter.
Despite the valiant efforts of Pranav Prince, who emerged as India’s top scorer with 11 points, the team couldn’t reverse the tide. The final quarter saw India concede 19 points while managing to score only 9, resulting in a substantial 33-point margin of defeat.
Looking ahead, the Indian basketball team will face Qatar and Kazakhstan in November, followed by concluding matches against Iran and Qatar in February next year, as they strive to bounce back and secure a spot in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025.
