Ali Thameem
The Maldives Women’s National Basketball team is prepared to take on the 3rd SABA Women’s Championship, which begins today in New Delhi, India.
The tournament, organized by the South Asia Basketball Association (SABA), marks the third edition of the championship and the first after a three-year hiatus.
The championship features a round-robin format, with the Maldives competing against Nepal and the host nation India. Each team will face the others once, and the top two teams from the league stage will advance to the final, scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, 2025. The matches are set to take place at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
The previous editions were held in 2016 and 2022, with Maldives having hosted the latter edition at home court. Maldives had won bronze on both occasions, while Sri Lanka emerged as the champions. Notably, Sri Lanka is absent from this year’s competition.
The national squad includes rising stars – Ehau, Ulya, Zaasha, Malak and Lyra – teamed up with well-experienced players including Raifa, Israau, Inasha, Shailan, Hauma, Zuha and captain Aminath Shiura. Based on current form, the likes of Israau, Ehau and Zaasha are highly expected to deliver standout performances this year.
The SABA Women’s Championship presents a great opportunity for the Maldives to further establish our nation’s influence on the regional basketball stage; the winner is set to represent the South Asian region in the upcoming FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025 in Shenzhen, China.
Maldives will take on Nepal on Monday and India on Tuesday. The games are set to tip off at 5:30pm local time and are available for viewing on SportsCast India’s YouTube channel.
