FIBA Asia Cup 2025: India suffer heavy loss to China, remain winless in Group C

By Haritmaa Sharma

Haritmaa Sharma is a freelance journalist and media student, exploring how sport intersects with identity, emotion, and culture—one story at a time.

Published at :August 7, 2025 at 4:24 PM

Modified at :August 7, 2025 at 4:24 PM

FIBA Asia Cup 2025: India suffer heavy loss to China, remain winless in Group C

(Courtesy : FIBA Asia Cup 2025)

The loss was India’s second consecutive at FIBA Asia Cup 2025 after earlier defeat to Jordan.

China moved a step closer to the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 quarter-finals after keeping India winless by way of a dominant 100-69 conquest, Thursday at the King Abdullah Sports City.

Coming off a tough escape from hosts Saudi Arabia the last time out, the traditional contenders were quick to set the tone this time, racing to a 20-8 lead before ending the first owning a 29-14 advantage.

But it wasn’t until the second quarter where they would pull away for good on the way to chalking up their second win in as many games, thus taking the provisional lead in Group C – and zeroing in on advancing.

Also Read: India vs China Highlights & Replay, FIBA Asia Cup 2025

Team Dragon will simply have to beat Jordan on Saturday at 14:00 local time to complete the sweep and clinch the no. 1 spot, which merits an outright trip to the quarter-finals scheduled to begin on August 13.

Hu Mingxuan sparked the Chinese with 17 points behind a 5-of-8 clip from beyond the arc, as he showed how much he wanted to bounce back after a measly two-point showing against Saudi on Opening Day.

Back-to-back defeats for Indian basketball team as they suffer a heavy defeat against China in their second Group C match! 🇮🇳 🇨🇳Future looking bleak for Team India at #FIBAAsiaCup2025. 💔#Basketball pic.twitter.com/AZwJT92Dxt
— Khel Now (@KhelNow) August 7, 2025

The 27-year-old guard was aggressive early on, scoring eight points in the opening period that saw him nail a pair of three-pointers to power their 12-2 start that practically set the tone for the one-sided show.

Also Read: FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Points Table: India drop to last position after defeat in opener

Zhao Jiayi also finished with 17 points. Wang Junjie and Cheng Shuaipeng supplied 13 points apiece, while seasoned big man Hu Jinqiu notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Liao Sanning made 11 points as well alongside 5 rebounds and 8 assists as a total of six players finished in double figures in the win, which saw Team China nail 15 triples and shoot 53.5-percent overall.

Who leads Group C after India vs China clash?

Courtesy their big win, China now have a clear lead at the top of Group C with two wins from as many matches. Saudi Arabia are two points behind but have a match in hand.

What is India’s position in Group C after this defeat?

India are currently third in the group with two points from as many matches, but they are likely to drop at the bottom of the group, when the Jordan vs Saudi Arabia match ends.

How can China qualify for quarter-finals of FIBA Asia Cup 2025?

After two wins from two, China now just need to defeat Jordan in their final group match to secure an outright spot in the quarter-finals.

Can India still qualify for the quarter-finals of FIBA Asia Cup 2025?

India’s chance of topping the group and securing a direct berth to the quarters is now gone after consecutive defeats. Their only chance of making the last-eight stage is via the playoff round.

But they will have to hope that Jordan defeats Saudi Arabia later today. India will then have to beat the host nation in their final group match to secure third-place in the group and reach the quarters.

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Haritmaa Sharma

Haritmaa Sharma is an aspiring sports journalist with hands-on experience in investigative reporting, digital content creation, and event coverage. Passionate about telling stories that go beyond the scoreboard—especially in cricket, racket sports, grassroots football, and emerging sports narratives.