India's Women's Basketball Team Misses FIBA Asia Cup 2026 Draw

The hopes of the Indian women's basketball team to secure a spot in the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2026 main draw were dashed following a pivotal defeat by Malaysia during the qualifiers held in Singapore. Ranked 88th globally, the Indian team fell 16-13 to Malaysia, ranked 44th, in their opening Pool B match, according to Olympics.com.

Despite capitalizing on an early 6-4 lead, the Indian squad struggled to maintain momentum, allowing Malaysia to clinch the crucial win. Pushpa Senthil Kumar emerged as India's standout player, scoring six points, complemented by key contributions from Dharshini Thirunavukkarasu, who added crucial shots from beyond the arc.

India rebounded with a striking 21-4 win against Turkmenistan, demonstrating a robust all-around performance. Sreekala Rani and Pushpa led the charge with six points each, supported by Dharshini's five-point effort and Sanjana Ramesh's four. Unfortunately, Malaysia claimed the sole main draw berth after defeating Turkmenistan 21-9, thus ending India's chance at advancement. This marks the second consecutive tournament where the team fell short at the qualifiers, while the men's team moves on after significant victories in their own qualifiers, with upcoming matches against Qatar and New Zealand.