NAKHON PATHOM: In a historic achievement, an undefeated Pakistan team claimed the title of Asian Men’s U-16 Volleyball Championship, defeating Iran 3-2 in the final held in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand.
After being 0-2 down earlier in the match, Pakistan stunned the opponent with come comeback from two sets, winning three straight sets to win the final 3-2. The scores of the five sets were 22-25, 21-25, 30-28, 25-21, and 15-10.
The victory not only earned Pakistan the gold medal and the championship trophy but also established them as a rising powerhouse in youth volleyball across Asia.
Junaid was the top scorer for Pakistan with 28 points, joined by Faizan in second place with 22 points. Talha and Muhammad Irfan chipped in with nine and eight points each.
On Friday, Pakistan beat India 3-0 in the semi-final of the tournament to qualify for the final. The Green Shirts beat India with a clean sweep by winning three straight sets (25-16, 25-19, 25-12).
The victory also confirmed Pakistan’s qualification for the World U-17 Volleyball Championship, which was secured upon their entry into the semi-finals of the ongoing tournament.
In the group stage, they overcame strong opponents including South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Chinese Taipei to top Group D. They then defeated Indonesia in the quarter-finals, followed by back-to-back victories over Iran and India in the knockout rounds.
