FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers: India go down fighting 63-50 to Kazakhstan

The Indian men’s basketball team’s campaign at the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers 2025 began with a 63-50 defeat at the hands of hosts Kazakhstan in the Group E match played at the Republican Velodrome Saryarka on Friday. For India, Arvind Kumar was the standout player with 17 points, with eight rebounds, one assist and five steals. Vladimir Ivanov (208-C-1994) was the top performer for Kazakhstan with six points, along with 11 rebounds and an assist. The Indian basketball team got off to a strong start, racing to a 5-0 lead. But Kazakh point guard Rustam Murzagaliyev (190-G-1992) got his team off the blocks with a long three to bring the scores to 5-3. Although the match shifted from one camp to another, India managed to bag the first quarter 16-13. Some easy layups went off the radar from India as Kazakhstan fought back to take the second quarter 18-10 to take an overall 31-26 lead at half-time. India clawed back into the game at the start of the third quarter when Sahaij Pratap Sekhon perfected a three-pointer and Krishnan’s layup brought the two teams level at 31-31. Some easy layup chances went off the hoop as Kazakhstan started to steal points to go 35-31. The hosts kept stealing the ball and the points to pile pressure on India and from 31-31 India slipped to 44-31 as the third quarter ended at 44-33. In the fourth quarter, just when India were planning another comeback at 44-37, Rustam Murzagaliyev’s long three gave the Kazakhs a 10-point lead. In a matter of minutes, Murzagaliyev’s perfected the three-pointer as the hosts raced to 50 points to India’s 41. Krishnan stole a ball and earned two points with a layup to make it 50-44. While India tried to close the gap, small forward Ruslan Aitkali (195-F-1997)’s three-pointer took them ahead at 53-44 yet again. Sekhon executed a delightful floater to earn two points for 53-46 which was followed by Krishnan’s long three as India stood at 55-49. India’s comeback attempt was short-lived as Vadim Chsherbak (194-G-1993) returned the favour with another three. Murzagaliyev, scoring his sixth three-pointer, took the game away from the Indian basketball team as Kazakhstan registered a 63-50 win over the visitors. India will play the Islamic Republic of Iran next in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Monday.
Courtesy of: olympics.com