Al-Riyadi secured a convincing 104-81 victory over Indian Railways in the WASL tournament on Friday evening. The hosts opened their account early and never looked back, closing out a game that settled before the final quarter. By then, the result had already been decided.
The turning point came when Al-Riyadi pulled away from a tight opening, and from that moment the home crowd knew what to expect. Indian Railways chased shadows for the remainder, their defence fragmenting under sustained pressure. And here's the thing about games like this — once the momentum shifts, it rarely reverses.
The hosts now sit top of the table after eight matches, with six victories and two defeats. That record gives them a comfortable cushion at the summit, though the season remains long. Indian Railways found themselves on the wrong side of a 23-point margin, a result that underscores their struggles away from home.
Recent form has been kind to Al-Riyadi, who have shown flashes of inconsistency but decisive quality when it matters. Their last five encounters against Saressé Beirut produced mixed results, but this performance carried more conviction than recent outings. The team changed the shape at key moments, exploiting gaps that Indian Railways failed to cover.
The victory extends Al-Riyadi's position at the top of the standings, where they hold every card going into the next round. Indian Railways must now regroup and find answers before their next fixture. The gap between the teams remains clear on the table, and this result did nothing to narrow it.
