Bahrain eyes FIBA Asia Cup Qualification with home-court advantage
This weekend, Bahrain's senior men's basketball team will take their final shot at qualifying for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, hosting the pivotal West Asia qualification tournament at Khalifa Sports City in Isa Town.
The three-team event will determine two teams that will secure spots in the prestigious continental tournament. Bahrain will compete against Iraq and India, with all matches being played before an enthusiastic home crowd.
National team captain Ahmed Salman is eager to seize the opportunity to play in front of Bahrain's passionate supporters. 'Hosting this qualifying tournament is huge for us,' said Salman. 'It's vital for both the players and the team as a whole. The fans are everything—they're incredibly passionate, love the game, and support us endlessly. Their support is priceless.'
India completed the tournament lineup upon their arrival in Bahrain yesterday. The Indian team was warmly welcomed at Bahrain International Airport by Bahrain Basketball Association (BBA) director Abed Al Ansari, who wished them the best of luck in the qualifiers. The teams are now preparing for the critical matches ahead that will determine who progresses.
The tournament kicks off today with Iraq and India facing each other. Both teams arrived on Wednesday and were greeted by BBA secretary general Ahmed Hafez and BBA director Abed Al Ansari.
Bahrain's campaign begins tomorrow with a match against India, followed by a crucial encounter with Iraq on Sunday. Both games are set to tip off at 10 pm.
Additionally, BBA president Alaa Mudara paid a visit to the national team's training session, reinforcing his ongoing support. He met with players and coaching staff, urging them to give their best efforts in the upcoming qualifiers. 'The next phase is critical,' Mudara said. 'Our fans are eager to see the team perform at their best, and I have full confidence in the players' ability to achieve the desired results.'
The top two teams from the round-robin competition will secure their spots in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, which will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this August.
For Ahmed Salman, competing in the Asia Cup would be a dream come true. 'Every player wants to be part of the Asia Cup,' said Salman, who hopes to make his debut in the tournament. 'It's a massive stage, and whether it's my debut or not, it will mean a lot. Every basketball player dreams of playing at this level, and I want to make an impact with my team.'
Salman, the son of former national team head coach Salman Ramadhan, acknowledges the significance of this opportunity. 'My dad was the head coach for years and holds the record for the most medals with the national team,' he reflected. 'To represent the national team is a tremendous honor. To be selected as one of the 12 best players in the country is everything to me.'
The Bahrain squad, coached by Jad El Hajj, consists of 14 players: Mustafa Hussain, Ali Aqeel, Ali Hussain, Mohammed Ameer, Ali Shukrallah, Subah Hussain, Ahmed Bin Dainah, Ali Jaber, Wayne Chism, Maitham Jameel, Hesham Sarhan, Ahmed Alderazi, and Mohammed Juma'a. These players are preparing for the final push to secure a spot in the FIBA Asia Cup, joining other teams such as China, Iran, South Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Qatar, Syria, and host Saudi Arabia, who have already earned their place.
The FIBA Asia Cup is the continent's premier basketball tournament, featuring senior men's national teams from both FIBA Asia and FIBA Oceania. Bahrain is aiming to qualify for the championship for the 10th time.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
2 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Bengaluru Tragedy: Virat Kohli Accused of Inciting Crowd Through IPL Promotion
Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli has been named in a complaint filed in connection with the tragic stampede that occurred on June 4 outside Bengaluru's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives and left dozens injured. The complaint, lodged by social activist HM Venkatesh at Cubbon Park Police Station, alleges that Kohli, a prominent player for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), played a role in promoting what the activist called 'gambling through the IPL,' contributing to the crowd surge that led to the tragedy. In his statement, Venkatesh accused Kohli of being 'the most prominent' in endorsing and popularizing the Indian Premier League (IPL), which he described as an event that 'has contaminated the game of cricket with gambling.' He further alleged that this promotion incited massive crowds to gather at the stadium, eventually leading to the fatal stampede. 'Virat Kohli of the Bangalore RCB team is the most prominent among those who participated in such gambling and incited people to gather in a specific place and caused this tragedy. Therefore, we request that Virat Kohli and his team members be made accused in the FIR of this tragedy and appropriate action be taken,' Venkatesh stated in the complaint. Police officials have confirmed that while the complaint has been received, no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Kohli or any other individual yet. According to sources quoted by ANI, the complaint will be examined within the scope of the ongoing investigation into the stampede. The tragic incident took place during a promotional event outside the stadium, drawing an unexpectedly large crowd. The resulting chaos led to a deadly stampede that has raised serious questions about event safety protocols and crowd control measures. As one of the most celebrated figures in Indian cricket, Kohli's inclusion in the complaint has sparked debate and divided public opinion. While some have called the allegations baseless, others argue that the influence of celebrity endorsements in high-stakes events like the IPL deserves closer scrutiny. Authorities continue to investigate the root causes of the stampede, with a focus on crowd management, promotional activities, and accountability. Meanwhile, families of the victims are demanding justice and stricter regulations for future large-scale public events.
Gulf Insider
3 days ago
- Gulf Insider
India: At Least 11 Dead In Stampede At RCB Victory Parade In Bengaluru, Reports Say
A stampede broke out as a tightly packed crowd celebrated the sporting win of their home cricket team in the Indian city of Bengaluru, resulting in multiple deaths, local media reported on Wednesday. AFP could not immediately confirm the death toll, which India's NDTV broadcaster reported to have left at least 11 people dead. The Times of India newspaper reported seven dead. An AFP photographer saw an intense crush of crowds as a sea of people crammed the streets. Broadcasters showed police carrying young children in their arms rushing away from crowds, who had seemingly fainted. One unattended young man was sitting in an ambulance struggling to breathe. Karnataka state's Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he was not able to immediately confirm deaths. 'This is not a controllable crowd,' he said, speaking to reporters. 'The police were finding it very difficult.' 'I apologise to the people of Karnataka and Bengaluru,' he said. 'We wanted to take a procession, but the crowd was very uncontrollable… the crowd was so much.' Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to the victims. 'The mishap in Bengaluru is absolutely heartrending. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that those who are injured have a speedy recovery,' the Prime Minister's Office posted on X. Cricket fans had come out to celebrate and welcome home their heroes, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, after they beat Punjab Kings in a roller-coaster Indian Premier League cricket final on Tuesday night. An AFP reporter said the Bengaluru team had reached the cricket stadium in the city, where celebrations had previously been planned.
Daily Tribune
4 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Kohli's IPL dream faces Punjab challenge
Punjab Kings stand in the way of Virat Kohli's dream of finally winning the Indian Premier League in today's final at the world's biggest cricket stadium. No matter which team prevails at the 132,000-capacity venue in Ahmedabad it will be a first -- neither Punjab nor Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won the IPL since it launched in 2008. Punjab booked their place in the decider with a five-wicket victory over five-time champions Mumbai Indians on Sunday. Shreyas Iyer played a captain's knock with an unbeaten 87. Kohli and Bengaluru will have a psychological edge after thrashing Punjab by eight wickets at the start of the playoffs last week. It is the fourth time that Kohli and his team have reached the final of cricket's richest tournament, but they have never been able to take that last step. The vast majority in attendance will be cheering on Kohli, the 36-year-old superstar batsman and icon to Indian cricket fans. Kohli, who last month retired from Test cricket alongside Rohit Sharma, has again been Bengaluru's go-to batsman with 614 runs, including eight half-centuries, in 14 innings this season. He has made no attempt to hide his desperation to win the IPL at the 18th attempt and add it to a long list of accolades that includes two World Cup crowns. He has talked about his 'heartbreak' of f ailing to win the IPL, and celebrated last week's win against Punjab saying: 'One more to go.' Punjab's fast bowling coach James Hopes said yesterday his team will be ' recovering and getting mentally prepared' for what he anticipates will be a 'pretty big crowd, and a pretty big proKohli crowd as well'. Sensational Iyer As well as Kohli, Bengaluru boast the significant threat of Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood. The 34-year-old returned following a shoulder injury and a stint back home to put in a manof-the-match performance i n the win over Punjab in the qualifier. He returned figures of 3-21 to help bundle Punjab out for 101. Hazlewood spearheads a seam-bowling attack alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar and left-armer Yash Dayal. Punjab, coached by Australia great Ricky Ponting , recovered from defeat to win the rain-delayed second qualifier in Ahmedabad. Skipper Iyer, who cost $3.17 million in November's auction, is narrowly behind Kohli in the batting charts with 603 runs from 16 innings. His latest chase masterclass off 41 balls, laced with five fours and eight sixes, is a reminder that he is lethal on his day. 'I love such big occasions,' Iyer said after the win over Mumbai. 'I always say to myself and my colleagues that the bigger the occasion, the calmer you are, and you'll get the best results.' Former Australia medium-pace bowler Hopes said that Iyer 'doesn't get flustered very easily'. 'He knows what he has to do and he's prepared to take that risk,' said Hopes. 'He is a sensational captain and a sensational player,' he added. Punjab openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh are in good form, and they have another potential match-winner in Australia's Josh Inglis. All-rounders Marcus Stoinis from Australia and Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai can also threaten Kohli's long-awaited dream.
