India end 27-year wait, stun Kazakhstan for first win

CHENNAI, Nov 25: Years of sorrow finally came to a relieving end as India rolled past Kazakhstan, 88-69, in a FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers affair witnessed live by a total of 6,128 screaming souls at the Nehru Indoor Stadium on Monday night.
The home team overcame a slow start and then roared back in the next two quarters behind their hot shooting from deep, and then cruised to the victory so sweet as it laid to rest the men’s program’s 16-game losing skid in official FIBA competitions.
Yes, the team hasn’t won a FIBA game for that long or in three years, or since downing Palestine by way of a narrow 79-77 result during the 2021 Asia Cup Qualifiers’ Tournament for Third-Placed Teams back in August 22 of that same year to qualify.
Aside from breaking through to the Group E win column in the present Qualifiers, India notched their first win against Kazakhstan as well in 27 long years. (Agencies)