India stun Kazakhstan in FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers after Pranav Prince stars  

India had a strong showing on Monday after beating Kazakhstan 88–69 at the Nehru Stadium in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers 2025. Pranav Prince was the star player for the Indian team with 17 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Vladimir Ivanov put his best foot forward for Kazakhstan, but Prince’s stupendous performance overshadowed him.

With the win, India also kept alive its hopes of making it to the finals, which will be held next year in Saudi Arabia. Kanwar Gurbaz Singh also played his part with back-to-back threes at the start of the second half, putting Kazakhstan under pressure. He drew praise from Indian coach Scott Flemming.

“Kanwar’s back-to-back 3s in the second quarter were definitely a turning point in the game,” Flemming was quoted as saying in the post-match press conference.

"We were kind of struggling at that point, trying to get back into the game. He hit those shots and it energised the team and we kind of took off from there."

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan's skipper Shaim Kuanov pulled off seven points in around two minutes. However, his efforts were not enough for his team to have the last laugh.

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India fail to leave bottom spot despite win vs Kazakhstan in FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers

India put in a stunning show against Kazakhstan, but that was not enough for it to rise from the bottom of the points table. However, the triumph is expected to keep India in good stead before its matches against Qatar and Iran in February 2025.

India needs to finish in the top two in the points table to secure its berth in the final. If it ends up third, it will need to participate in a five-team playoff round for a chance to advance to the finals.