India women fail to qualify for main draw of FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2026
(Courtesy : @BFI_basketball/Twitter)
India exits in the qualifying draw for the second consecutive year.
The Indian women’s basketball team failed to qualify for the main draw at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026, after finishing in their pool in the qualifying round.
India were drawn with Malaysia and Turkmenistan in Qualifying Draw B of the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026, taking place at the OCBC Square, The Kallang, Singapore.
The Indian team began their campaign with a 16-13 loss against Malaysia in a hard-fought encounter. The South Asian nation were off to a flying start but weren’t able to capitalize on their lead and lost the game to Malaysia.
Pushpa Senthil Kumar was the top scorer for India with six points, while Suet Ying Foo (9 points) and Fook Yee Yap (6 points) earned the victory for the Southeast Asian nation.
The Indian team then locked horns with Turkmenistan in their second qualifying draw encounter. They thrashed them 21-4, with Pushpa Senthil Kumar and Sreekala Rani earning six points each. Dharshini Thirunavukkarasu bagged five points, while Sanjana Ramesh got four points in the match.
Despite India’s thumping victory over Turkmenistan, India failed to secure a spot in the next round of the competition.
Later in the day, Malaysia got the better of Turkmenistan, beating them 21-9 to qualify for the main draw. Fook Yee Yap (9 points) and Suet Ying Foo (8 points) were the star performers in guiding Malaysia to victory.
Malaysia topped the Qualifying Draw B standings with two wins and 37 points, while India finished second with one win and 34 points. Turkmenistan secured the last place with 13 points, losing both encounters.
Kazakhstan qualified for the main draw from Qualifying Draw A with 41 points, courtesy of two wins. Chinese Taipei bagged three wins and earned 59 points to top Qualifying Draw C, while Tonga bagged the final qualification spot from Qualifying Draw D with 28 points and two victories.
Pool for Main Draw of FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026
- Pool A: China, Thailand, Kazakhstan
- Pool B: Mongolia, New Zealand, Malaysia
- Pool C: Japan, Singapore, Chinese Taipei
- Pool D: Australia, Philippines, Tonga
How did India perform in the qualifying draw of FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026?
India won and lost a match each in the qualifying draw, starting their campaign with a 13-16 win loss against Malaysia, before thrashing Turkmenistan 4-21 in their final qualifying match.
Did India qualify for the Main Draw of FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026?
No, India failed to qualify for the main draw after finishing second in their pool behind Malaysia. Only the pool toppers made it to the main draw.
Which other teams qualified for the main draw of FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026?
Apart from Malaysia, Kazakhstan (Pool A), Chinese Taipei (Pool C) and Tonga (Pool D) made it to the main draw.
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Farzan is a journalist at Khel Now covering Indian Olympic sports and kabaddi. With five years of experience working with major sports organizations like Chennaiyin FC, Dabang Delhi K.C., Rajasthan Royals, and Yuva Kabaddi Series, he brings diverse expertise. Farzan has covered two Olympics, one Commonwealth Games, and one Asian Games, making his knowledge of Indian sports broad and versatile.