Ahmedabad, 5 July 2026: The Gujarat State Basketball Association (GSBA) proudly marked a historic milestone as Gujarat hosted an international FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers match for the very first time at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Naranpura, Ahmedabad. The highly anticipated clash between India and Lebanon transformed the stadium into a vibrant arena, with nearly 4,000 passionate basketball fans creating an electrifying atmosphere and extending unwavering support to Team India.
The successful organisation of this prestigious international event represents a significant achievement for basketball in Gujarat and reflects the growing popularity of the sport across the state. The overwhelming response from spectators demonstrated the enthusiasm and potential for basketball’s continued development in Gujarat.
On the court, Team India displayed tremendous spirit, determination, and resilience despite suffering a 72-98 defeat against a strong Lebanese side in their final Group D fixture of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers.
Lebanon established an early advantage by building a lead of more than 15 points. However, the Indian team responded with remarkable character in the second quarter, producing an inspiring comeback to reduce the deficit and head into halftime trailing 38-48. The spirited performance kept the enthusiastic home crowd fully engaged and showcased the fighting spirit of the Indian players.
The third quarter proved decisive as Lebanon outscored India 27-16, using their experience and accurate shooting to regain complete control before securing victory. Despite the result, India delivered several encouraging performances throughout the contest.
India impressed with its long-range shooting and converted 14 of its 18 free-throw attempts. Pranav Prince, Arvind Muthu Krishnan, Arvinder Singh, and Kushal Singh made valuable scoring contributions, while Princepal Singh and Palpreet Singh Brar battled tirelessly under the basket, securing crucial offensive rebounds and displaying exceptional commitment throughout the game.
Lebanon’s quality was evident throughout the contest, led by Karim Zeinoun, who scored 14 points. Their consistent shooting from beyond the arc and disciplined execution ensured they maintained the lead throughout the game. With this victory, Lebanon secured qualification for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which will be hosted in Qatar.
The Gujarat State Basketball Association extends its sincere gratitude to the Basketball Federation of India, FIBA, the Government of Gujarat, all officials, volunteers, partners, and the thousands of basketball enthusiasts whose support made this landmark event a resounding success.
Hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers in Ahmedabad has created a new chapter in Gujarat’s sporting history. The Association remains committed to promoting basketball across the state and looks forward to bringing many more national and international basketball events to Gujarat in the years ahead.
