NAGOYA, Japan: Pakistan began their men’s volleyball campaign at the Asian Games with a 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan on Sunday.
Pakistan won their Pool A volleyball opener 25-16, 25-22, 17-25, 25-20 at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium.
They dominated the opening two sets before Kazakhstan fought back to take the third 25-17. Pakistan regained control in the fourth set to close out the match in four sets.
Murad Khan was Pakistan’s leading scorer with 21 points, including 17 successful spikes and four blocks. Usman Faryad Ali added 14 points, while Murad Jehan contributed 11.
Pakistan dominated the opening two sets, winning them 25-16 and 25-22, but Kazakhstan responded emphatically in the third, taking it 25-17 to extend the match.
Pakistan regained control in the fourth set and finished 25-20 to claim the victory.
Pakistan’s attacking display was a treat to watch. They scored 55 points from spikes compared with Kazakhstan’s 48 and converted 13 per cent of their 56 blocking attempts, while Kazakhstan recorded 23 per cent from 44 attempts.
Pakistan will face Uzbekistan on Monday before taking on hosts Japan in their final Pool A match.
The men’s volleyball competition features 16 teams divided into four pools, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the quarter-finals.
Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Japan have been bracketed in Group A while Group B carries Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia and Thailand. Similarly, Group C contains Qatar, Hong Kong, India and Vietnam while Korea, Philippines, China and Chinese Taipei have been clubbed in Group D.
The top two teams from each pool will progress to the October 1 quarter-finals. The semi-finals will be conducted on October 2 with the final and bronze medal match to follow on October 3.
Noor Zaman Secures Squash Bronze
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Noor Zaman secured a bronze medal in men’s squash after beating fellow Pakistani Mohammad Ashab Irfan in the third-place playoff
At the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, Noor Zaman defeated Mohammad Ashab Irfan 3-0 to finish third in the men’s singles squash competition.
Zaman won 11-7, 11-7, 13-11 in a 26-minute playoff. Both players had already secured bronze medals by reaching the semi-finals, making the match a contest for final placing.
Zaman had lost his semi-final to Malaysia’s defending champion Eain Yow Ng, while Irfan was beaten by India’s Abhay Singh.
The two squash players’ medals took Pakistan’s overall medal tally to four bronze medals.
Pakistan’s men’s épée team lost 7-5 to Qatar in the round of 16 in fencing, while Rabia Kabir finished 41st in the women’s 25-metre pistol qualification.
In athletics, Ansar Abbas qualified for the men’s long jump final with a personal-best jump of 7.28 metres.
Pakistan also recorded mixed results in tennis. Aqeel Khan and Mohammad Shoaib advanced in the men’s doubles after beating Mongolia’s Mandakh Davaadash and Sonompuntsag Enkhjargal 6-2, 6-0.
Mahin Aftab Qureshi lost 6-1, 6-1 to Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej in the women’s singles, while Muzammil Murtaza and Ushna Sohail also suffered first-round defeats.
The experienced pairing of Aqeel Khan and Ushna Sohail lost their mixed doubles opener to Kazakhstan’s Beibit Zhukayev and Zhibek Kulambayeva 6-2, 6-1. Aisam Qureshi and Mahin also lost their mixed doubles match to Kazakhstan’s Aleksandr Shevchenko and Anna Danilina 6-3, 7-5.
Pakistan’s hockey team will face Oman on Monday after suffering a 5-4 defeat against Malaysia in their previous match.
The country’s men’s cricket team will also begin its Asian Games campaign on Monday against Hong Kong in the quarter-finals.
Javelin throwers Arshad Nadeem and Mohammad Yasir are also scheduled to compete in the men’s final on Monday.
