The Aussie Gliders were 83-34 winners over hosts Thailand at Sports Complex PSU Phuket, with Amber Merritt leading the scoring once more with 23 points.

Japan beat Iran 66-34.

Japan and Australia have four points apiece after two matches and are separated by just a single point on points difference.

It is Japan who are marginally ahead in the standings.

With the champion to be decided at the end a double round-robin group, the two are set to battle it out for supremacy.

China - absent this year over COVID-19 - won the women's title at the last IWBF Asia Oceania Championships.

In the men's event, Iraq and the Philippines got vital wins in the second tier.

Iraq smashed the United Arab Emirates 77-21 while the Philippines squeezed past Afghanistan 58-56.

Afghanistan rallied in the fourth quarter and drew level at 50-50, but ultimately could not keep pace.

In the top division, Paralympic runners-up Tokyo rebounded from an opening-game loss to beat Thailand 65-42, Australia saw off Malaysia 69-34 and Iran overcame South Korea 56-50.

The top two teams in Pool B, currently Iraq and the Philippines, will join the six Pool A sides in the quarter-finals of the competition.