Among team games, Pakistanis have always taken pride in their achievements in hockey and cricket. Hockey has brought three of the four Olympic gold medals Pakistan has won. The country’s record of four World Cup victories hasn’t been equalled. Unfortunately, hockey has seen an unimaginable decline. Pakistan failed to qualify for the last three Olympics and two of the previous three World Cups.

In recent times, the lack of success in cricket is difficult to digest. Cricket is one sport in this country where funds are no problem. The Pakistan Cricket Board is the only sports body in Pakistan that is self-reliant financially. Its budget runs in billions of rupees.

However, one team sport has recently provided us with something to cheer about. Volleyball has seen some landmark achievements lately. In 2024, at the Asian Under-18 Championships, Pakistan won the bronze medal, the country’s first podium finish in this event. Reaching the semi-final also meant another first — qualification for the 2025 Under-19 World Championships, which is now in progress. Pakistan had reached the last 16 at the time of writing this piece.

On July 19, Pakistan also defeated Iran in the final of the Asian Men’s Under-16 Volleyball Championships in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. It is Pakistan’s maiden title victory in Asian volleyball in any category.

In a sign of Pakistan’s rising standing in volleyball, its U-16 team won the Asian Men’s U-16 Volleyball Championship title in Thailand two weeks ago. Faizanullah from Buner in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was awarded the ‘Most Valuable Player’ of the tournament

Football is the most followed sport in the world, but a majority of estimates put volleyball as the most widely played sport. Volleyball, the least expensive team sport, is immensely popular in small towns and villages of Pakistan. The national volleyball team has also achieved a few good results on the Asian scene.

Pakistan won bronze in the 1962 Asian Games. In 1989, at the Asian Volleyball Championships, Pakistan surprised many by finishing fourth in a highly competitive field. Pakistan’s national volleyball team is presently ranked eighth out of 65 in Asia and 42nd out of 222 globally. We are capable of defeating any top-ranked Asian team, and have done this.  

Among the team games, the national volleyball team’s achievements are third only to hockey and cricket — not a distant third if an important consideration is factored in. Only 12 countries are full members of the International Cricket Council. The International Hockey Federation has 140 members, but only around 25 can claim a reasonable game structure and player base.

Of the 222 International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) members, most countries have a strong domestic structure, with leagues and a big pool of active players.

Several Pakistani players ply their trade in foreign leagues. Reportedly, one earns 125,000 dollars a season in China.

With the age group national teams breaking barriers, ie qualifying for the World Championship, it should only be a matter of time before the national (senior) team also makes it to the World Championship. The chances for this have also increased, as the World Championship has expanded from 24 teams to 32.

Coming to the recent Under-16 Asian Championships, the victorious Pakistan team’s Faizanullah was declared the ‘Most Valuable Player.’ Faizanullah, who hails from Buner in Malakand division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), spoke with Eos about his journey.

“In Buner, volleyball is the most popular sport,” he says. “Because of the hilly terrain, it is difficult to find a large flat tract needed for sports such as football and hockey.”

In volleyball, height is considered a big advantage. The young lad is already 6’4”. But he had never thought of gaining international recognition. “I was just one of the boys, enjoying volleyball in the evenings. My club, the Abazi Club, participated in local tournaments, where onlookers always praised my game.”

He says that, one day last year, he was told about his selection for the Malakand team for the provincial inter-regional under-20 tournament in Peshawar. “For a 15-year-old, it was a surprise,” he says.

There was no looking back. In Peshawar, Laiq Zaman, the national coach and joint secretary of the KP Volleyball Association, was greatly impressed by his display. “I was named in the KP team for the national under-20, where we finished runners-up. In December 2024, at the Quaid-i-Azam Inter-Provincial Games, KP won the final.”

Faizanullah says that he considers himself lucky that, within just one year of provincial selection, he was representing his country at the under-16 Asian Championships. “The team was confident of putting up a good show in Thailand. The under-19 team winning the bronze medal a month before also motivated us.”

The fourth-ranked Pakistan surprised everyone. “We won all three pool matches, including the one against the higher-ranked Chinese Taipei, without dropping a set. In the classification round, Pakistan easily demolished Indonesia 3-0. The next match was against Iran.”

Iran was not only the defending champions but also the No 1 team in Asia and No 5 in the world in this age category.

“Both teams had already qualified for the semi-finals. It was all equal after the first two sets. We won the third set 25-22. The two teams were neck and neck in the fourth set and there seemed to be no end. Finally, we prevailed 31-29, the longest any set went in the tournament.”

The semi-final was against the traditional rival India. It has been a long time since Pakistan defeated India in cricket and hockey.

“There is no need to tell you about the atmosphere — more so after the events of May. Although the Indians had easily won the three pool games, they had struggled in the classification round and barely made it to the last four. Pakistan were the favourites. But predictions can go wrong in India-Pakistan contests. Our boys were determined. We began aggressively and maintained the pressure throughout. Pakistan won in straight sets, with a lot to spare in each,” says Faizanullah.

In the final, Pakistan again came across Iran. And it was a final to remember.

“The victory in the classification game didn’t mean much. The final is a whole new ball game. That is how it turned out, as Iran won the first two sets, 25-22 and 25-21. In the third set, we played every point as if our lives depended on it. The Iranians were in no mood to let it slip away from such a dominating position. Twice, they had a match point, but we managed to escape and finally won 30-28 to make it 1-2.

“Our opponents appeared disappointed — so near yet so far. Pakistan went into the fourth set with our heads held high. We led throughout, until it was 2-2 [two sets each]. The rhythm was carried into the decisive set, and Pakistan were the Asian Champions. Our bench ran into the court. Emotions got the better of us — we all wept tears of joy.”

After the historic victory, the team was well-received at home. “At the Lahore airport, we were greeted by the Pakistan Volleyball Federation [PVF] chairman Chaudhry Yaqoob, the PVF president, the DG Punjab Sports Board and a large number of fans,” recalls Faizanullah. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government organised the province’s first-ever sports heroes awards ceremony at Nishtar Hall in Peshawar and the five team members from KP were among the invitees, along with other sports stars.

But the welcome in his hometown of Buner was the most memorable for Faizanullah. “It was the stuff that dreams are made of,” he exults. “On my way to Buner, I was stopped about 10km short of town. Onwards, I was taken in an open-roof car, followed by dozens of others in a procession. When I reached Buner, there was a long line of people with garlands.”

The achievers have been rewarded financially as well. The Pakistan Sports Board has announced six lakh rupees for each player. The KP government has already given five lakhs each to the team players from the province.

Does he have future ambitions? “Of course, to see Pakistan on the podium at next year’s World Under-17 Championships,” Faizanullah smiles.

The writer is a freelance sports journalist based in Lahore.
X: @IjazChaudhry1 Email: ijaz62@hotmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, August 3rd, 2025