India Set for Qatar Basketball Tour Ahead of FIBA Asia Cup
With the continental championship less than a month away, the men's national team will play two exposure games against their Qatari counterparts on July 11 and 13
In a crucial step towards final preparations for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup 2025, the Indian men’s basketball team will play two international friendly games against Qatar on July 11 and 13 in Doha.
With the Asia Cup set to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from August 5 -17, this short tour is part of India’s last-phase build-up before the tournament. The tour, comprising two exposure games, is expected to offer a much-needed competitive test for the Indian side.
A Step Forward, But Is It Enough?
Although India and Qatar are placed in separate groups for next month’s Asia Cup, the timing and nature of these games serve both sides well. For India, especially, this is a chance to simulate real match conditions without risking group-stage consequences. It also helps them assess player combinations and push beyond the rhythm of only domestic training camps. However, questions remain about the timing.
Other top teams in the region scheduled international matchups much earlier. Reigning champions Australia, for instance, played an exhibition game against a top NCAA Division I team last month. In comparison, India’s prep has mostly been confined to closed-door national camps.
Even though the Indian team has been training regularly over the past few months, live match experience against competitive sides is something camps can’t fully replicate. These friendlies give teams the opportunity to simulate the pressure and unpredictability of highly competitive tournament basketball like the FIBA Asia Cup. However, for the Indian team, they have come just under four weeks before tip-off in Jeddah.
Tough Challenges Ahead
India last faced Qatar during the first round of the Asia Cup Qualifiers, where they came up short in both games. The West Asian outfit, known for its physical style and presence of naturalized players, poses a formidable challenge. However, it is precisely the kind of opponent India needs to measure itself against before a major tournament.
The two exposure games offer a small window of opportunity for the Indian squad to get a feel of international pace and pressure before the tournament. Given that India’s Asia Cup group stage will feature tough opponents in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and China, every minute on court against a team like Qatar counts.
While China is the most challenging opponent, followed by Jordan, host nation Saudi Arabia can also prove to be a challenge with its structure, speed, and international players, which adds weight to every minute of quality preparation India can secure before August.
With less than a month to go, the Qatar tour may not be a complete solution, but it’s a step in the right direction for a team that still has everything to prove on the international basketball stage.
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