Pakistan beat Indonesia in volleyball warm-up match

KARACHI: Pakistan volleyball team had an ample match practice on Saturday when they defeated Indonesia 3-1 in a warm-up game just ahead of the Asian Volleyball Championship which will begin in Surabaya, Indonesia, from Monday (tomorrow).

The set score was 25-21, 25-10, 22-25, 15-13.

Pakistan Volleyball Federation chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob told ‘The News’ on Saturday from Indonesia that junior boys were fielded in the last set.

Pakistan had moved a couple of days ago from Doha where the Green-shirts featured in a three-nation tournament.

In that friendly event, Pakistan beat Oman 3-1 but lost to Qatar 1-3 in their second and last outing held at the Qatar Volleyball Federation Hall.

In the continental event, Pakistan have been put in Group B with Iran, Chinese Taipei and Iraq.

Pakistan will face Chinese Taipei in their opener on Monday (tomorrow), followed by their outings against Iran and Iraq on July 25 and 26 respectively.

Pakistan are being managed by Iranian coach Hamid Movahidi. And the last edition’s tenth-place finishers also have the assistance of an Iranian analyst.

Professional spiker Naseer Ahmed is leading Pakistan. He plays in Lebanon League and has been the highest earning player in Pakistan’s volleyball history.