logo
Pak stuns Chinese Taipei to reach volleyball quarters

Pak stuns Chinese Taipei to reach volleyball quarters

Express Tribune6 days ago

Pakistan national senior men's volleyball team put up a thrilling performance in Manama, Bahrain on Thursday, defeating the formidable Chinese Taipe sidei in a five-set nail-biter to top Pool C and secure their place in the Quarterfinals of the AVC Nations Cup 2025, being held in Bahrain.
The match was one of the most exciting encounters of the tournament so far, filled with high-paced rallies, incredible comebacks, and outstanding individual brilliance from both sides. Pakistan took an early lead by winning the first two sets 25-20 and 25-22, showing confidence and control on the court. However, Chinese Taipei responded strongly, taking the third and fourth sets 25-21 and 25-16, pushing the match into a decisive fifth set.
In a dramatic and intense final set, Pakistan held their nerve and edged past Chinese Taipei with a score of 18-16, securing a memorable 3-2 victory.
With this win, Pakistan finishes first in Pool C and has now officially qualified for the Quarterfinals of the AVC Nations Cup 2025. Pakistan will face the second-ranked team from Pool A, which is yet to be decided between Bahrain and Indonesia. Their match outcome will determine Pakistan's next opponent.
The Quarterfinal match is scheduled for the coming days, and the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) will announce the official match date and time shortly after final pool standings are confirmed. Speaking after the match, PVF Chairman Ch. Muhammad Yaqoob expressed his pride in the team's performance:
"This was a historic win. The team showed tremendous fighting spirit and composure under pressure."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Noor Zaman, Nasir Iqbal secure silver at Asian Doubles Squad Championship
Noor Zaman, Nasir Iqbal secure silver at Asian Doubles Squad Championship

Express Tribune

time4 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Noor Zaman, Nasir Iqbal secure silver at Asian Doubles Squad Championship

Pakistan's Noor Zaman and Nasir Iqbal secured a silver medal at the Asian Doubles Squash Championship, despite a valiant effort in the final on June 26. The Pakistani duo fought hard but ultimately lost to the defending champions, Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar of India, who triumphed 9-11, 11-5, 11-5 to retain their title. The final, held at the Kuching Sports Complex in Malaysia, was a hard-fought affair that lasted 1 hour and 27 minutes. Although Zaman and Iqbal came out strong, their Indian counterparts regrouped after the first set to claim a victory in the remaining two, sealing the gold for India. Pakistan's journey to the final was impressive, with Zaman and Iqbal defeating Malaysia in the semi-finals in a tense three-game battle. The pair triumphed 10-11, 11-9, 11-9 in a contest that lasted one hour and eight minutes, overcoming Syafiq Kamal and Duncan Lee to book their place in the final. Earlier, they had delivered another thrilling performance to edge past Korea in the quarter-finals, winning 11-3, 5-11, 11-4 against Jiang Min Ryu and Jaijin Yoo. In the group stages, the Pakistani pair exhibited excellent form, securing a spot in the knockout rounds with a comprehensive win over Chinese Taipei. Zaman and Iqbal dispatched Chi Yu-Wei and Chen Ching-Fu 11-2, 11-9 in just 11 minutes to ensure qualification. As second seeds in the tournament, the Pakistan team showed consistency from the outset, with dominant victories over the Philippines (11-7, 11-4) and South Korea. Their performance throughout the championship demonstrated their potential in doubles squash at the Asian level. Individually, Zaman had previously competed in the Asian Individual Squash Championship, where he was eliminated in the pre-quarterfinals by Malaysia's Joachim Chuah after a five-game thriller. Despite battling a back spasm, Zaman staged a comeback after losing the first two games 3-11, 3-11, but eventually fell 2-11 in the decider. Although Pakistan fell short in the final, their silver medal marks a significant achievement in the tournament, reflecting their strength as a doubles team and their rising stature in international squash.

Pakistani duo advance to knockouts at Asian Squash Championship
Pakistani duo advance to knockouts at Asian Squash Championship

Express Tribune

time2 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Pakistani duo advance to knockouts at Asian Squash Championship

Pakistan's Noor Zaman and Nasir Iqbal stormed into the quarterfinals of the Asian Doubles Squash Championship on June 24, following a commanding straight-games victory over Chinese Taipei. The duo made light work of their final group-stage opponents, defeating Chi Yu-Wei and Chen Ching-Fu 11–2, 11–9 in just 11 minutes to top Group B. With the win, they secured a place in the quarterfinals, where they were set to face South Korea later the same day. Zaman and Iqbal have remained unbeaten throughout the group stage, starting their campaign on Monday with two comprehensive victories. They opened with an 11–4, 11–1 win over South Korea, before overpowering the Philippines 11–7, 11–4 in their second match. Their consistent form has helped Pakistan finish at the top of their group, which also included teams from the Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea. The championship format features round-robin group matches over the first two days, followed by knockout rounds beginning on 25 June. The finals in the men's, women's and mixed doubles categories are scheduled for 26 June. Team coach Fahim Gul and contingent manager Amir Nawaz have been guiding the squad through the tournament in Kuching, where Pakistan now aims to continue its winning run in the knockout phase.

Pak footballers in AFC Futsal Asian Cup
Pak footballers in AFC Futsal Asian Cup

Express Tribune

time3 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Pak footballers in AFC Futsal Asian Cup

Pakistani footballers are set to mark a historic moment in the country's sports domain by featuring in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers for the very first time. With Pakistan joining 31 other nations in the competition, the tournament will commence with the draw on June 26 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur. The 32 participating teams will be split into eight groups - seven groups of four and one group of three - for the qualifiers, which will be held in a centralised league format from September 20 to September 24. Pakistan has been placed in Pot 4, along with other debutant or lower-ranked teams. The seeding is based on the latest FIFA Futsal Men's World Rankings, where Pakistan is currently unranked. This makes the upcoming qualifiers a valuable opportunity to gain international exposure and collect ranking points. The top team from each group, along with the seven best second-placed sides, will qualify for the 18th edition of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Finals in Indonesia, scheduled for January 2026. The competition will be fierce, with futsal giants like Iran (World No 5), Thailand (11), Japan (13), and Uzbekistan (23) among the top-seeded teams. These nations have maintained a consistent presence in every edition of the tournament since its inception in 1999. Pots for Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers Hosts Pot: Thailand (11; Seeding: 1), Kuwait (40; 1), Tajikistan (44; 2), Kyrgyz Republic (48; 2), Saudi Arabia (50; 2), Myanmar (56; 2), Malaysia (76; 2), China PR (79; 3) Pot 1: Islamic Republic of Iran (5), Thailand (11), Japan (13), Uzbekistan (23), Vietnam (31), Afghanistan (33), Kuwait (40), Iraq (41) Pot 2: Tajikistan (44), Kyrgyz Republic (48), Saudi Arabia (50), Australia (52), Lebanon (53), Myanmar (56), Korea Republic (70), Malaysia (76) Pot 3: China PR (79), Chinese Taipei (82), Bahrain (83), United Arab Emirates (97), Maldives (106), Timor-Leste (109), Mongolia (112), Macau (115) Pot 4: Hong Kong, China (118), Brunei Darussalam (119), Palestine (121), Cambodia (125), India (135), Bangladesh (unranked), Pakistan (unranked).

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store