In a gripping semi-final clash at the Asian Under-18 Volleyball Championship in Bahrain, Pakistan’s Under-18 team narrowly lost to China, relegating them to compete for third place while China advances to the final.
The semi-final proved to be a thrilling encounter, testing the nerves and skills of both teams as they exchanged leads throughout the match. China clinched the first set, but Pakistan quickly responded by taking the second.
The see-saw battle continued with China regaining the lead, only for Pakistan to level the match in the fourth set after an impressive comeback from a 16-21 deficit. In the decisive fifth set, China managed to secure the victory.
The final score stood at 25-23, 22-25, 25-22, 23-25, and 15-8 in favour of China. Standout performances for Pakistan came from Abu Bakar, Mahtat Ali Shah, Muhammad Anas, and Muhammad Yahya.By finishing among the top four teams, Pakistan has earned a spot in next year’s Under-19 Volleyball World Championship for the first time.
This achievement marks only Pakistan’s second appearance in the Asian U18 Volleyball Championship, following their victory in the Central Asian U18 Volleyball Championship in June.The Pakistan Volleyball Federation lauded the team’s performance, stating that their journey has brought pride to the nation and reflects Pakistan’s great potential in volleyball.
The Federation added that the experience gained from this event will be a crucial stepping stone for the team in preparing for future competitions.
