Latest news with #PakistanVolleyballFederation
Express Tribune
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Pakistan are the U16 Asian volleyball champions
"We are just so grateful to have created history for Pakistan, this win is a result of so many sacrifices," exclaimed the Pakistan U16 team head coach Kifayatullah as his team defeated the highly-rated Iran 3-2 in the final held in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand on Saturday night. Pakistan had finished fourth in the previous edition, and for them to clinch the title in 2025 has been nothing less than a fairytale. They remained undefeated in the tournament that spanned over eight days in Thailand. Starting the campaign in Pool D, where they were slotted with South Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Saudi Arabia. In their opening match, they defeated the top team, South Korea, 3-0, and then proved too good for Saudi Arabia and Chinese Taipei, finishing with the dominant scoreline of 3-0 in the preliminary round. Later they played Iran in the next round, and sealed a 3-1 win to continue their flawless trail towards the semifinal, which was against the traditional rivals India. Kiyatullah explained that winning the semifinal was the key moment as they routed India 3-0. " We've had a very long journey and I can only thank Allah for it, this result in the final has been huge for us," he told this correspondent on the phone after the victory celebrations. "When we first started our campaign here, we thought we had a chance when we saw the competition. The win against South Korea was a great motivator, too." The road to the Asian Championship was paved with sacrifices. Kifayatullah, who has been a successful volleyball player himself, with two gold medals and a silver medal at the 1989 South Asian Games, began the training camp with 22-23 players at the Attock Army Centre during March. This was also his first assignment for any national team in his career of 23 years as a coach. " WE began the camp in Attock, and we had a pool of very talented boys, but we brought it down to 12 players. The key factor was to pick each player on merit and not accept any kind of intervention from anyone when it came to the team selection. "We trained at the Army centre for two and a half months, which was good but it had its own challenges, because the Army institution work in their way and on their own pace, simple things like food was a bit of a problem, but we made sure that we kept the kids motivated and one thing that I drilled into them was to keep their eyes on the prize. "It was tough, but I really want to thank the Pakistan Volleyball Federation Ch. Muhammad Yaqoob, who was very cooperative and managed the resources and funds for the team to prepare and to participate in the Asian Championship. "It was after two and a half months that we got to change the training venue, and we started our sessions in Islamabad, after the men#s team left for their international tournament. "But the biggest challenge in Islamabad, too, was the heatwave. "I just want to thank and appreciate my boys; they have been very patient and cooperative through it all. In a month and a half that we spent in Islamabad, I made sure that we got the exposure to good competition, and we had a series of matches with the U19 team that was training for an international event. It had the experience of four to five international competitions, so we thought it would help us. "I think we did well despite the limited resources that we have. It is a personal victory for me, as I promised the PVF that I would win the gold for them with these children, and I am grateful to Allah that he helped me keep that promise," explained Kiyatulah. He shared that Iran was their toughest opponent, but it was a delight to win against a team that had around 12 people in support staff compared to his contingent of 12 players and just three coaches. Kifayatullah was supported by Mohib Rasool and Laiq Zaman. He also appreciated Iran, which prepared its team despite the outbreak of the war. "Iran won an international event in Uzbekistan, and when the war broke out with Israel, they decided to move their camp to Uzbekistan and stayed behind, so they found a way to prepare their team with top facilities despite the challenges of war," added Kifayatullah.
Qatar Tribune
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Pakistan to meet Bahrain in AVC Nations Cup final
Agencies Manama (Bahrain) Pakistan set up AVC Nations Cup 2025 final with Bahrain as they beatQatar 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-21) in the semi-final on Monday. The victory avenged Pakistan's loss to Qatar in last year's AVC Challenge Cup final and marked their most impressive performance of the tournament. Pakistan will meet Bahrain in the final on Tuesday. Bahrain beat South Korea 3-2 (25–21, 25–23, 21–25, 18–25, 15–13) in the other semi-final. Pakistan dominated statistically, outscoring Qatar 75-65 overall. The team recorded 47 attack points to Qatar's 41 and posted 7 blocks against Qatar's 5. While Qatar held a slight edge in serves (2-1), Pakistan's disciplined play forced 20 errors from their opponents. Usman Faryad Ali spearheaded the attack with a match-high 18 points (17 attacks, 1 block). Captain Murad Jehan added 16 points, all from attacks, while Murad Khan contributed 7 points. Fahad Raza's playmaking produced 5 points, and Musawer chipped in with 4. The complete team effort overcame Qatar's higher world ranking and demonstrated Pakistan's rapid improvement. 'This victory proves rankings don't tell the whole story,' said Pakistan Volleyball Federation Chairman Ch. Muhammad Yaqoob. 'Our players showed tremendous heart and skill against one of Asia's best teams.' Pakistan face Bahrain in Tuesday's final, with a chance to claim their first AVC Nations Cup title.
Arab News
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Pakistan to face Qatar in Asian Volleyball Nations Cup semifinal today
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will take on Qatar today, Monday, in the semifinal of the 2025 Asian Volleyball Nations Cup in Bahrain, state-run media reported. The tournament is being played in Manama from June 17 to 24 and features 12 teams. These include Pakistan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Thailand, Qatar, Australia, Kazakhstan, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam and New Zealand. The tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2026 Asian Volleyball Championship, with top-performing teams earning world ranking points and potential entry into the 2028 Olympic Games and the 2027 FIVB World Championships. 'The semifinals of the Asian Volleyball Nations Cup are being played today,' Pakistan State Television (PTV) said in a report on Monday. 'Pakistan will face Qatar in the first semifinal of the event being played in Bahrain.' Pakistan defeated Indonesia 3-1 in the quarterfinals to book the semifinal berth. The second semifinal will be played between Bahrain and South Korea. Qatar will head into the match with some confidence, considering they beat Pakistan last year by a score of 25-22, 25-20, 25-19 in the same championship held in Bahrain. The match is scheduled to be held at 19:00 local time (16:00 Coordinated Universal Time). In August 2024, Pakistan defeated Japan 3-0 to clinch the bronze medal at the Asian Men's U18 Volleyball Championship. Volleyball is a steadily growing sport in Pakistan governed by the Pakistan Volleyball Federation. The Pakistan volleyball team has shown consistent improvement in regional and international competitions. Pakistan regularly participates in events such as the Asian Games and Asian Volleyball Championships, with the men's team recently recording notable wins in regional tournaments.
Express Tribune
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Pak bags bronze in CAVA Nations League
Pakistan men's volleyball team delivered a commanding performance on Wednesday, securing a 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan in the bronze medal clash of the CAVA Nation's League in Fergana. With set scores of 25-19, 23-25, 25-16, 25-22, the Pakistan team displayed remarkable skill, teamwork, and resilience to clinch 3rd position in this prestigious Central Asian volleyball tournament. This victory not only earned Pakistan the bronze medal, but also reinforced its rising stature in the Asian volleyball landscape. Adding further pride to the nation, Pakistan's Abdul Zaheer was awarded "Best Middle Blocker" of the tournament for his outstanding performance throughout the league. His blocking, anticipation, and net dominance were instrumental in Pakistan's success and earned him well-deserved recognition on the international stage. After a strong start in the group stageincluding a commanding win over Kyrgyzstan and a closely contested match against KazakhstanPakistan qualified for the crossover round. Despite tough matches against India and Iran, the team fought their way back to the podium with today's decisive win. Led by a cohesive and talented group of players including Usman Faryad Ali, Afaq Khan, Murad Khan, Kashif Naveed, Nasir Ali, Abdul Zaheer, and Musawer Khan, the Pakistan team demonstrated depth, skill, and unwavering commitment throughout the tournament. Speaking after the match, Ch. Muhammad Yaqoob, Chairman of the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF), stated: "Our team's bronze medal victory and Abdul Zaheer's individual award are proud moments for Pakistan. This performance showcases the development of volleyball in our country and reflects the dedication of our players and coaching staff." The Pakistan team will now shift focus to the upcoming AVC Men's Nations Cup, scheduled for 17th to 24th June 2025 in Bahrain, followed by multiple major events, including the FIVB U19 World Championship, Asian Youth Games, and the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games. The PVF continues to call upon sponsors and stakeholders to support the growing momentum of volleyball in Pakistan and help the national teams shine even brighter on the world stage.
India Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
After India's withdrawal, Volleyball tournament shifted from Pakistan to Uzbekistan
The Central Asian volleyball tournament, from which India has withdrawn in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam, has been shifted from Islamabad to Tashkent in Uzbekistan, an official of the Pakistan federation said on Saturday.A senior official of the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) said the Central Asia Volleyball Association (CAVA) has taken the decision to shift the event to is a huge disappointment for Pakistan volleyball even though India had withdrawn. But we fully understand the CAVA's General Body's decision,' the official said. The scheduled dates of the tournament, to be contested between Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, have not been April 27, PVF official Abdul Ahad said India had withdrawn from the tournament, which was earlier to be held in Islamabad on May between the two neighbouring countries has grown following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were killed."The Indian volleyball officials have informed the regional body that their government has cancelled the NOC issued to them for the tournament after the incident in Pahalgam," Ahad had said.
