Basketball World Cup Qualifiers: India’s Record 0–18 Drought Exposes Their Offensive Struggles
Young Cagers suffer second straight lopsided loss to Saudi Arabia, this time at home, in Chennai.
Chennai, November 30: India’s search for a breakthrough in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers took another painful hit as they fell 57–83 to Saudi Arabia at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
The defeat came at the hands of a more athletic Saudi unit led by Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman. It also extended India’s staggering 0–18 losing streak in the competition, without a single win in World Cup Qualifiers history.
India’s men’s basketball team is now on the longest losing streak in FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifying history, with 18 consecutive defeats. The slide began in the 2019 World Cup Qualifiers, where India went 0–6. It continued through a winless 0–10 run in the 2023 cycle, and has extended into the current 2027 Asian Qualifiers with a 0–2 start across window 1.
With the gulf in quality widening, India’s chances of progressing now look bleak as they prepare to face Lebanon and Qatar next, two sides as strong as, if not stronger than, Saudi Arabia.
India’s finishing woes were once again decisive last night. They missed a flurry of open looks, shooting just 5 out of 25 from beyond the arc and a worrying 17 of 51 on attempts inside. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia controlled the paint, registering eight blocks, four of them from dominant center Mohammed Alsuwailem.
Game Summary
For a team hoping to finally turn a page at home, the evening delivered more frustration. The Scott Flemming-coached side entered the game seeking their first-ever victory against Saudi Arabia, having lost all six previous outings, including the 75–51 defeat in Riyadh just three days earlier. But the visitors once again proved too strong, too fast, and too clinical.
Even the usually electric atmosphere in Chennai felt subdued. The stands, packed to the rafters during last year’s FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, had numerous empty seats, denying India the full home-court energy they’ve leaned on in this venue before.
Key Performances
For India, Kanwar Sandhu delivered a strong individual showing by scoring 19 points, fighting to keep the offense afloat despite limited support.
Momentum Shifts
Saudi Arabia set the tone with seven unanswered points early on and finished the first quarter up 19–9. India never recovered from the slow start.
The second quarter proved decisive as Abdur-Rahkman took charge and the visitors surged to a 43–21 halftime lead. For the second straight game, India’s inability to convert offensive rebounds and their struggles in half-court execution prevented any chance of a fightback.
The third quarter only widened the gap, with Saudi Arabia putting up 28 points to India’s 15. Though the home side showed more aggression late, the Gulf nation kept firm control.
Thumbs Up (India)
There were still a few encouraging signs for India despite the heavy defeat. The team showed improvement in transition, scoring 13 fast-break points, a significant leap from just four in the previous game. Their hustle on the glass was commendable, too, as they pulled down 18 offensive rebounds.
Thumbs Down (India)
India’s biggest struggles stemmed from its inability to convert effort into outcomes. Despite collecting 18 offensive rebounds, they produced only eight second-chance points, a statistic that summed up their finishing issues throughout the night.
The slow start once again hurt them, with the early 0–7 stretch killing momentum and allowing Saudi Arabia to dictate tempo. India’s half-court offense also stagnated for long stretches, leading to scoring droughts that the visitors exploited.
Final Result
Saudi Arabia (Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman 26 pts & 7 reb, Marzouq Almuwallad 13 pts & 5 reb & 5 ast, Ali Shubayli 10 pts & 5 reb) bt India (Kanwar Sandhu 19 pts & 2 reb, Arvind Muthu Krishnan 9 pts & 5 reb, Sahaij Sekhon 8 pts) 83-57 [19-9, 24-12, 28-15, 12-21]
Next Up
India now shifts its attention to Window 2, where it has two away games: one against Qatar on February 27, 2026, and another against Lebanon on March 2, 2026. Time and exact venue are TBD.
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