Iran’s basketball team will not be holding anything back when they plunge into action for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers later this month.
According to the FIBA website, all those who played for Iran at the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 have returned to the national pool for the Asian Qualifiers, led by Mohammad Jamshidi and Hamed Haddadi -- both chosen to be among the All-Star Team in Beirut.
Iran has a good mix of youth and veterans on this roster. There are nine players who are 23 years old or younger, including rising stars Behnam Yakhchali, Sajjad Mashayekhi and Vahid Dalirzehn.
Seasoned international campaigners like Rouzbeh Arghavan, Oshin Sahakian and Arsalan Kazemi are also among the players in the pool, and they are sure to use their experience in tempering the talents of their younger teammates.
Haddadi, Kazemi, Jamshidi and Yakhchali are projected to be the squad’s leaders, especially since they were among the team’s most productive players at the Asia Cup.
Iran is in Group D with Iraq, Kazakhstan and Qatar. The Iranians will play Iraq on November 24 at the Prince Hamza Arena in Amman, Jordan, before hosting Qatar at the Azadi Basketball Hall on 27 November.
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