China trounce Pakistan 3-1 in Asian Volleyball

KARACHI: Pakistan on Friday went 3-1 down to China in the 5th to 8th place semi-finals of the 20th Asian Seniors Men’s Volleyball Championship in Tehran.

After having played a gripping quarter-final against Australia which Pakistan lost 2-3 on Thursday it was expected that the Green-shirts would also gave a very tough time to China. But it did not happen. After losing the first two sets 17-25, 19-25 Pakistan reduced the deficit to 1-2 with a 25-15 win in the third set. But all this did not put any pressure on China as they fought really well in the tough fourth set, winning eventually with 26-24.

After the loss Pakistan would now face India on Saturday (today) in the 7th place game.India on Friday lost to Chinese Taipei 1-3 in their 5th to 8th place semi-finals.In the event so far Pakistan did well in the preliminaries by beating Indonesia and Kuwait to make it to the quarter-finals.

Pakistan in that phase lost to Korea. In the classification phase Pakistan lost to Japan and Chinese Taipei to set quarter-final date with Australia.After the event Pakistan will continue its camp in Islamabad as the team has ahead 13th South Asian Games to be hosted by Nepal in Kathmandu and Pokhara from December 1-10.

In the middle volleyballers will also represent their respective teams in the 33rd National Games slated to be held in Peshawar from October 26 to November 1.

A senior official of Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) said that camp would be continued.“We cannot disband camp as we have to feature in South Asian Games,” PVF secretary Shah Naeem Zafar told The News on Friday.

He said that the minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) had told them that the camp would be supported.“You know we have Korean coach and we need to get his maximum services,” Shah said.

After the South Asian Games Pakistan would also feature in the Asian qualifying round for Olympics in March in China.Pakistan made their place in the qualifiers after qualifying for the quarter-finals in the ongoing Asian Championship in Tehran.