Asian Handball Championship | India lose to Australia, finish last in group
The Indian team in action against Australia.
|(Twitter)
India played their third and final game of the group stage on Thursday against Australia, and ended up losing by just one point, with a score of 27-2. Following this loss, the chances of India making it to the semis were dashed as they placed last in their group after the preliminary round.
Now the Indian teamĀ will be competing in theĀ ninth to sixteenth playoffs,Ā starting Friday.Ā
India's dreams of securing a straight qualification slot for the 2023 World Men's Handball Championship in Sweden and Poland were also dashed. To qualify for next year's showcase event, India needed to place in the top five in the Asian meet.
India battled Australia in a hard-fought first half that finished 13-14 in favour of the Aussies. After the interval, the Indian team came back to take a 16-14 lead, which they kept despite Australia's best efforts.Ā Then in the dying moments of the match, the teamĀ failed with barely one minute remaining. Australia took a 27-26 lead to overcome India for the third time in the competition.
The men's Indian handball team had finished fifth in each of their previous three outings at the continental championship, with a best-ever performance of fifth coming way back in the 1979 edition of the tournament.
