ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s rapid progress in international volleyball in recent times has finally earned international attention with Australia becoming the first team to tour the country for a three-match Test series to be played at the Liaquat Gymnasium on May 28-29-30.
Ch Mohammad Yaqoob, Chairman of the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) in a media talk on Saturday confirmed that the Australian national team will be traveling to Pakistan for the first time.
“Australia has expressed its desire to play against Pakistan in the three-match Test series in Pakistan.
The world No 21 ranked Australia is one of the most formidable teams in Australasia region.
This is big news from Pakistan’s perspective. Hopefully, the team’s trip to Pakistan would help in popularizing the game. Pakistan has beaten Australia recently and has also defeated teams like Korea to earn their status as one of the best in Asia.
We narrowly missed winning a medal at the Asian Games. Our main focus and target is to qualify for the Olympics and playing in the company of top teams in Asia.”
Yaqoob said playing against the Australian team would help players build their confidence for more important events to come. “You can only improve
by playing against better teams.
The series against Australia and the Engro CAVA League to be participated by the six best Asian teams would help in boosting the team’s morale to new heights.”
The round-robin CAVA league will kick off on May 11 with the leading six Asian countries including Asian champions Iran competing.
Besides Iran, teams from Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and host nation Pakistan will compete in the eight-day-long event.
“India at first confirmed their participation with the demand that their boarding and lodging will be looked after. We gave them assurance and they stayed back on the pretext that their general elections as well as their federation elections were due.
Same excuses were given by some other Central Asian countries.
But we have a healthy participation which would usher good for our volleyball,” Yaqoob, who was also accompanied by Pakistan team head coach Ruben Wolochin (Argentina), said.
Ruben hoped that days were not far away when Pakistan would be seen making even bigger strides at the international arena. “We have a healthy pool of players.
Hopefully, in days to come they will be a real force.”
Following the conclusion of the Engro CAVA Nation’s Volleyball League, Pakistan’s national teams will embark on an international campaign.
Besides playing against Australia at home, the Pakistan national senior men’s team is set to compete in the AVC Challenge Cup for men in Bahrain, while the Pakistan national junior men’s team will participate in the CAVA U18 Volleyball Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The Engro CAVA Nation’s Volleyball League promises an exhilarating showcase of athletic prowess and sportsmanship as teams battle it out on the court.
May 11, 2024 (Day 1):
May 12, 2024 (Day 2):
May 13, 2024 (Day 3):
May 15, 2024 (Day 5):
May 16, 2024 (Day 6):
May 17, 2024
3rd Position Match: P3 Vs P4
Final: P1 Vs P2