KABUL (PAN): Afghanistan beat India 65-64 in a rousing men's basketball final match during the 11th South Asian Games in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Friday.

Trailing 35-44 at half-time, the Indians made a remarkable recovery in the next two quarters to tie the score at 58-all. The Indians, 49th in the FIBA ranking, kept the pressure on and took the vital lead with four minutes to go.

Jagdeep Singh, who was the Indian playmaker, missed a couple of lay-up shots at the crucial minutes and this allowed the Afghanistan to sink in a two-pointer to regain the lead by one point.

Afghanistan had beaten India in the group league game and won its first gold medal of these games. Bangladesh defeated Nepal 75-62 to take the bronze medal. Afghanistan had moved to the final of mens football after it stunned Maldives by 1-0 win in the second semi final of the competition at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka on Friday.

Afghanistan now up against hosts Bangladesh in the men's football final scheduled at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Monday.

An official of the National Olympic Committee, Muhammad Arif Paiman said Afghanistan beat India 65-64 in the basketball final, thanks to heroic show of team captain Nafi Mashriqi, who clinched the gold medal for the country.

Paiman told Pajhwok Afghan News Afghanistan National Basketball Team had already defeated Sari Lanka and Pakistan in their previous matches in the group A and reached the final after crushing Nepal in the semi-finals.

On its website, Afghan Sports Federation (ASF) said it was the first time ever that the Afghanistan National Basketball Team made it to the final championship game and won the gold medal. "This is a great achievement for Afghan sports and we are truly proud of our athletes and organizers who made this possible," ASF said.

Eight member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) are participating in the 11th South Asian Games that started on January 29. The countries included Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sari Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan.