India drawn in Group D of 2021 Asia Cup Qualifiers

Bahrain, Lebanon, and Iraq are the other three teams in India's group.

Sixteen spots are up for grabs in the main draw of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup. (representative image)

India has been placed in Group ‘D’, alongside Bahrain, Lebanon, and Iraq for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers. The draw ceremony was held here on Saturday.

There are sixteen spots up for grabs in the main draw of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup. The top two teams from each of the six qualifying groups will automatically advance into the main draw, while the next four berths will be determined through a tournament involving the third-placed sides in the groups.

India (world No. 67) will fancy its chances, with Bahrain (world No. 112) and Iraq (world No. 80) being lower-ranked nations. Lebanon (world No. 53) is the favourite to top the group.

The teams will play a home-and-away format, scheduled for November 2019, February 2020, and November 2020.

NBA Hall Of Fame player and Chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) Yao Ming was present at the draw ceremony. Former Philippines star player Jimmy Alapag, Japanese women’s professional player Asami Yoshida, FIBA President Horacio Muratore, FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis, FIBA Asia President Sheikh Saud, Basketball Federation of India President K. Govindraj, and Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala were some of the other dignitaries present at the event.

The groups Group A: Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea Group B: China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, and Malaysia Group C: Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Guam Group D: Bahrain, Lebanon, India, and Iraq Group E: Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Syria Group F: Jordan, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, and Palestine