LAHORE: Pakistan defeated India in straight sets at the 15th Asian Men’s Volleyball Cham­pionship in Manama on Monday. The match ended with scores of 25-20, 29-27, 25-1, lasting 90 minutes, with Pakistan maintaining control throughout.

In the first set, Pakistan established a clear lead, winning 25-20.

India tried to recover in the second set, but despite several tie points at 15-15, 21-21, and 26-26, they eventually fell 29-27.

The third set was also dominated by Pakistan, as India struggled to keep up, leading to a 25-15 finish.

Earlier, Pakistan had a hard-fought 3-2 victory against South Korea in their opening match on Sunday night. The set scores were 22-25, 25-23, 25-17, 20-25, 15-13.

After losing the first set, Pakistan rebounded to take a 2-1 lead by winning the next two sets. Although South Korea managed to win the fourth set and level the match, Pakistan clinched the decisive fifth set by a narrow margin.

Pakistan’s next match will be against Kuwait on Tuesday. Key players in both matches included Ajmal Junaid, Abubaker, Mohammad Yahya, and Mohammad Anas.

Head coach Saeed Ahmad Khan commended his team’s stamina and performance, noting their resilience after the intense match against South Korea.

“The way our boys performed against India, following a tough fight against South Korea, shows their excellent stamina and readiness,” Saeed said.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2024