TEHRAN – Iran basketball team power forward Arsalan Kazemi will likely miss the match against Ivory Coast due to illness.

Iran are scheduled to play the African team on Monday in Group G of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Team Melli were thrashed by Brazil 100-59 in their opening match.

The match against Ivory Coast is a must-win game because Iran cannot defeat world No. 1 Spain in their last group stage match.

Kazemi’s absence will be a setback for the Iranian team.

The tournament is the second to feature 32 teams and is currently being hosted by multiple nations for the first time in its history—the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia—from Aug. 25 to Sept. 10.