Pakistan down India in volleyball quarterfinal

LAHORE: Pakistan notched victories in the ongoing Asian Games hockey, volleyball and men’s squash taking place in Indonesia on Tuesday

Pakistan blanked Bangladesh with five goals in its last Pool B match of the Games to enter the semi-finals as the top team from their group in Jakarta while Pakistan volleyball team came from behind to defeat their rivals from across the border India.

On the hockey field, for Pakistan, Mohammad Atiq and Mubashar Ali scored a brace, while Ali Shan contributed a single goal. India are the top team in Pool A with five wins from as many matches. They will now face second-placed Malaysia from Pool B.

In baseball Pakistan lost to China 16-3. Meanwhile, Pakistan will face the winner of the South Korea-Japan match in the semi-finals. Both the decades old rivals Pakistan and India are expected to clash in the final on September 1.

Pakistan defeated India three sets to one in the quarter-final of the men’s volleyball event earlier in the day.

India gained the upper hand in the match when they won the first set 25-21. Dominating the second set, Pakistan wrapped up the second set 25-21 and kept the pressure on India. Pakistan won the next set with a scoreline of 21-25, taking a 2-1 lead in the match.

In the intense final set, Pakistan clinched the fourth set 25-23, winning the quarterfinal with a scoreline of 25-21, 21-25, 21-25, 23-25. Pakistan will now take on China in the semi-finals on August 30.

In the Games squash event, Pakistan men team defeated Philippines 3-0 but the women in green lost to Japan in a similar fashion.

Pakistan’s Israr Ahmad beat Peline David William by 11-6, 11-3, 11-6; Tayyab Aslam beat Garcia Robert Andrew by 11-4, 11-3, 14-12; Amaad Fareed beat Begornia Reymark by 11-9, 11-7, 11-5.

In the women event Pakistan lost to Japan as Watanabe Satomi beat Madina Zafar by 11-7, 11-7, 11-1; Sugimoto Risa beat Riffat Khan by 11-3, 11-2, 11-4; Kobasyashi Misaki beat Faiza Zafar by 11-6, 11-5, 11-5. Pakistan team will play against Hong Kong in Men’s event on September 29.