ISLAMABAD, June 19: Hosts Pakistan got off to an excellent start in the second Asian Central Zone Men’s Volleyball Championship as they blanked Sri Lanka 3-0 on the first day of the contest at the Liaquat Gymnasium Hall, Pakistan Sports Complex on Tuesday.

Both the teams started the match with confidence and scored important points, as the first set went neck and neck from love all and then the score was 9-9. At this stage Pakistan’s spiker Mohammad Naseer got two consecutive points that gave the hosts the upper hand over their opponents.

The Sri Lankans succeeded in reducing the deficit to 20-19 however, the set finished at 25-22 in favour of Pakistan who won the next set 25-23 after a nail-biting finish. Pakistan won the next set 25-15 to bag the match comfortably.

Earlier yesterday, President General Pervez Musharraf was the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the championship.

Chief of the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob, President Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Lt Gen Syed Arif Hasan, Federal ministers Mian Shamim Haider and Naurez Shakoor, PST Director Operations Col Mohammad Yahya were also present at the ceremony.

President Musharraf awarded five million rupees to the PVF for the promotion of volleyball besides announcing Rs50,000 to each player of Pakistan that beat Sri Lanka in the inaugural match of the tournament.

President Musharraf also awarded Rs25,000 to each player of the beaten Sri Lankan team in the inaugural match besides announcing Rs100,000, Rs50,000 and Rs25,000 per player for the teams which will take first, second and third positions respectively in the tournament.In his remarks at the opening ceremony, President Musharraf urged the concerned sports officials concerned to raise the sports infrastructure in different cities of Pakistan in a way that these facilities could enable the nation to organise its first-ever Asian Games.

On Wednesday, the first match is scheduled to be played between defending champions Kazakhstan and Maldives, second match between Iran and Sri Lanka while in the third match Pakistan will face Turkmenistan.

Besides Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Turkmenistan, Iran and Kazakhstan are participating in the seven-day championship.

Wednesday’s schedule: Kazakhstan v Maldives (1:00pm); Iran v Sri Lanka (3.00pm); Pakistan v Turkmenistan (5:00pm).—Agencies