<p>The Indian men’s water polo team’s struggles continued as they slumped to their third consecutive defeat in the group stages of the Asian Aquatics Championships, going down 21-6 to World No. 31 Kazakhstan here on Monday.</p>.<p>The result leaves the unranked hosts on the brink of elimination, with no points from three matches and a goal difference of -34. India now need a miracle to qualify for the quarterfinals, which would have guaranteed a berth in the Asian Games. Thailand, who sit fourth in the five-team Group B, have three points and a far better goal difference of -12. India will now face powerhouse Japan in their final group game on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Kazakhstan, on the other hand, were dominant right from the start, taking charge early in the match. Igor Nedokontsev and Adil Baltabekuly led the way with four goals each, while India’s Bhagesh Kuthe scored a hat-trick in a losing cause.</p>.<p>The Kazakhs opened the floodgates in the first quarter, as Murat Shakenov, Nedokontsev, and Baltabekuly scored twice each to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Vaibhav Suhas pulled one back for India late in the quarter, and Uday Uttekar added another early in the second to give the home side some hope.</p>.Perform or perish: How India’s new Asian Games guidelines will reshape sports squads.<p>But Kazakhstan’s superior fitness and finishing soon took over. Nedokontsev scored twice more, including a penalty, before Baltabekuly completed his hat-trick to extend the lead to 11-2 by half-time.</p>.<p>India showed brief resistance in the third quarter as Bhagesh netted twice and goalkeeper Tapas Mondal made a few good saves. However, Kazakhstan continued their onslaught with goals from Baltabekuly, Ruslan Akimetov, and Almat Madimar to make it 15-4.</p>.<p>Bhagesh completed his hat-trick in the final quarter, with Praveen G adding another for India. The Kazakhs finished strongly, with Tsoy and Maxim Lamayev among the scorers, as the match ended 21-6.</p>.<p>The Indian women’s team will be playing their second group match on Tuesday too as they take on Uzbekistan. The women’s team will qualify for quarterfinals irrespective of their position in the four-team group.</p>.<p class="ListBody"><span class="bold"><strong>Results: Men:</strong></span> Hong Kong, China: 2 lt to P.R. China: 21; Uzbekistan: 7 lt to Iran: 28; India: 6 lt to Kazakhstan: 20; Thailand: 11 lt to Singapore: 19.</p>.<p class="ListBody"><span class="bold"><strong>Women:</strong></span> Singapore: 13 lt to Japan: 26; Hong Kong, China: 10 lt to Kazakhstan: 21.</p>
<p>The Indian men’s water polo team’s struggles continued as they slumped to their third consecutive defeat in the group stages of the Asian Aquatics Championships, going down 21-6 to World No. 31 Kazakhstan here on Monday.</p>.<p>The result leaves the unranked hosts on the brink of elimination, with no points from three matches and a goal difference of -34. India now need a miracle to qualify for the quarterfinals, which would have guaranteed a berth in the Asian Games. Thailand, who sit fourth in the five-team Group B, have three points and a far better goal difference of -12. India will now face powerhouse Japan in their final group game on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Kazakhstan, on the other hand, were dominant right from the start, taking charge early in the match. Igor Nedokontsev and Adil Baltabekuly led the way with four goals each, while India’s Bhagesh Kuthe scored a hat-trick in a losing cause.</p>.<p>The Kazakhs opened the floodgates in the first quarter, as Murat Shakenov, Nedokontsev, and Baltabekuly scored twice each to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Vaibhav Suhas pulled one back for India late in the quarter, and Uday Uttekar added another early in the second to give the home side some hope.</p>.Perform or perish: How India’s new Asian Games guidelines will reshape sports squads.<p>But Kazakhstan’s superior fitness and finishing soon took over. Nedokontsev scored twice more, including a penalty, before Baltabekuly completed his hat-trick to extend the lead to 11-2 by half-time.</p>.<p>India showed brief resistance in the third quarter as Bhagesh netted twice and goalkeeper Tapas Mondal made a few good saves. However, Kazakhstan continued their onslaught with goals from Baltabekuly, Ruslan Akimetov, and Almat Madimar to make it 15-4.</p>.<p>Bhagesh completed his hat-trick in the final quarter, with Praveen G adding another for India. The Kazakhs finished strongly, with Tsoy and Maxim Lamayev among the scorers, as the match ended 21-6.</p>.<p>The Indian women’s team will be playing their second group match on Tuesday too as they take on Uzbekistan. The women’s team will qualify for quarterfinals irrespective of their position in the four-team group.</p>.<p class="ListBody"><span class="bold"><strong>Results: Men:</strong></span> Hong Kong, China: 2 lt to P.R. China: 21; Uzbekistan: 7 lt to Iran: 28; India: 6 lt to Kazakhstan: 20; Thailand: 11 lt to Singapore: 19.</p>.<p class="ListBody"><span class="bold"><strong>Women:</strong></span> Singapore: 13 lt to Japan: 26; Hong Kong, China: 10 lt to Kazakhstan: 21.</p>