SABA Championship 2021 | India crowned champions for sixth time, beat hosts Bangladesh

The Indian men's basketball team won the South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) Championship 2021 for a record sixth time, after defeating  Bangladesh 106-41 on Friday. This means that Team India has won the regional competition each and every time they have participated in it.

The first triumph came in 2002, followed by 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. As far as this year's competition is concerned, India topped the points table with three wins in as many matches, and a difference of +188. Sri Lanka came second with two wins and a loss.

In the first match, India had thrashed the Maldives 88-31 and then Sri Lanka 114-48. In the final, once again, Indians took an early lead in the first quarter 33-11. This kind of lead was alone to hand India the win, but the carnage continued for the rest of the match. 

Captained by Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, the Indian team added 54 points in the third and the fourth quarter that handed them a vital lead, while the Bangladeshis could only add 21. At the final whistle, India was up by 65 points, ending 106-41 to win the title.