SABA Women's Championship 2025: India start off with big win over Nepal

Captain Sreekala Rani led India’s charge with 27 points in the match.

Indian women’s basketball team started strong at the SABA Women’s Championship 2025, defeating Nepal 113-32 in their opening game at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. Captain Sreekala Rani led the charge with 27 points, helping India establish control early.

From the start, India dominated, building a 17-point lead by the end of the first quarter. Their size, teamwork, and intensity overwhelmed Nepal. Rani was in top form, scoring from all areas of the court. India’s high advantage over their opponents led to 22 second-chance points.

This is India’s first time playing in the South Asian Basketball Championship, and they quickly made their mark. After a two-year break from international competition, last seen in the 2022 Asian Games (played in 2023), the Indian team looked sharp and determined to qualify for the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025.

Also Read: Know Your Squad: Indian women’s basketball team for SABA Women’s Championship 2025

With the result clear early on, India’s bench stepped up, contributing 51 points. Sathya led with 15, followed by Krithika Sureshbabu with 14, while Sanjana Ramesh added 10. Sathya and Harshita grabbed seven rebounds each, and both Sathya and vice-captain Dharshini Thirunavukkarasu dished out eight assists, with Dharshini directing the offense.

For Nepal, captain Anusha Malla scored 21 points, but the team struggled with 46 turnovers, including 12 from Malla.

Results

India: [Sreekala Rani 27 points, Sathya Krishnamurthy 15 points (Bench), Krithika Sureshbabu 14 points (Bench), Dharshini T 13 points, Sanjana Ramesh 10 points] bt Nepal 110-32 [Anusha Malla 21 points]| 23-6, 19-4, 36-9, 32-13 |

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