5 July 2026: Ahmedabad, while playing at Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Despite the loss, the hosts showed great determination, particularly in the first half, and had the home crowd of nearly 4,000 fans fully behind them. Lebanon raced to an early lead of more than 15 points, but India responded brilliantly in the second quarter with an impressive comeback. The hosts reduced the deficit and went into halftime trailing 38-48, keeping themselves well in the contest. The third quarter, however, proved decisive.
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Lebanon outscored India 27-16 to restore complete control of the game and never looked back. Their experience and sharp shooting eventually helped them pull away and seal a comfortable victory. India had several positives to take from the contest. Their long range shooting clicked well, while they also converted 14 of their 18 free throw attempts.
Pranav Prince, Arvind Muthu Krishnan, Arvinder Singh and Kushal Singh made important scoring contributions, while Princepal Singh and Palpreet Singh Brar worked hard on the boards, collecting crucial offensive rebounds and battling throughout the game.
Lebanon’s quality was evident throughout the contest. Led by Karim Zeinoun, who scored 14 points, the visitors were outstanding from beyond the arc and never allowed India to take the lead at any stage of the game. With the victory, Lebanon booked their place at the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which will be hosted by Qatar.
