FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying 2023: Indian basketball team's schedule changed as Korea, Taipei pull out

The Indian men’s basketball team will begin their quest to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics when they play their first match of the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament Asia 2023 against hosts Syria in Damascus on Saturday.

With Korea and Chinese Taipei pulling out of the tournament at the last minute due to security concerns in violence-struck Syria, the groups for the tournament have been changed. India now will play against Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Syria in a round-robin format over the next week. They were earlier scheduled to face Korea, Taipei and Bahrain.

Following this change, the team that finishes on top of the table in the Asian leg of the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament will advance to the final FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament scheduled in 2024.

"The FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament 2023 Syria will be played with six teams, Bahrain, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and hosts Syria. The teams will play against each other in a single round-robin format. The best team of the group will qualify for the Olympics Qualifying Tournaments," said a press release by FIBA on the change in scheduling and format following the withdrawals of Korea and Taipei.

Kazakhstan (65th) are the best-ranked team in the tournament, followed by Saudi Arabia (68), Syria (72), India (82) and Bahrain (84).

The Indian men's basketball has appeared in the Olympics once, finishing 12th at the Moscow 1980 Games.

Indian basketball team

Vishesh Bhriguvanshi (captain), Muin Bek Hafeez, Arvind Kumar, Harsh Dagar, Prashant Singh Rawat, Pranav Prince, Amjyot Singh, Aravind Annadurai, Palpreet Singh Brar, Amaan Sandhu, Sahaij Pratap Singh Sekhon, Mirant Bharatbhai Italia.

Head coach: Veselin Matic

India Match List

August 12, Saturday - Syria vs India - 10:30 PM

August 13, Sunday - India vs Indonesia - 8:00 PM

August 14, Monday - India vs Kazakhstan - 5:30 PM

August 16, Wednesday - Saudi Arabia vs India - 5:30 PM

August 17, Thursday - India vs Bahrain - 5:30 PM