Asian Games: Pakistan's volleyball team beat Kazakhstan 3-1 as medal tally reaches four

Pakistan’s men’s volleyball team opened their Asian Games campaign with a 3-1 win over Kazakhstan on Sunday, lifting the mood on a mixed day for the contingent in Aichi-Nagoya, where the country’s medal count now stands at four bronzes.

Pakistan won 25-16, 25-22, 17-25, 25-20 in their Pool A opener at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium, bouncing back after dropping the third set.

Murad Khan leads the way

Murad Khan was the star of the match, scoring 21 points from 17 spikes and four blocks. Usman Faryad Ali added 14 points, Jehan Murad 11 and Musawer Khan nine.

Pakistan’s attack made the difference. They converted 55 of their 114 spikes, compared with 48 of 113 for Kazakhstan, and finished with 92 points in total against their opponents’ 83. Blocking was the one weakness: Kazakhstan made 10 blocks to Pakistan’s seven, an area the coaches will want to improve before the tougher games ahead.

The win gives Pakistan an early advantage in a pool that also includes Uzbekistan, whom they face on Monday, and hosts Japan, who are expected to challenge for medals. Iran, winners of the last three editions, are the defending champions.

Noor wins the squash playoff

At the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, Noor Zaman beat his compatriot Mohammad Ashab Irfan 11-7, 11-7, 11-3 in 26 minutes in the men’s singles third-place playoff. The result did not change the medals: both players had already secured bronze after losing their semi-finals on Saturday.

Their run to the last four brought Pakistan back onto the individual squash medal table after 17 years, and it was the first time since 2002 that two Pakistanis reached the semi-finals at the same Games.

Four medals so far

The two squash bronzes take Pakistan’s total to four, alongside bronze medals for the women’s cricket team and for Asim Khan in the men’s 60kg mixed martial arts event.

The rest of the day

• Athletics: Ansar Abbas reached the men’s long jump final with a personal best of 7.28 metres, finishing seventh in qualifying.
• Tennis: Aqeel Khan and Mohammad Shoaib won their men’s doubles first-round match 6-2, 6-0 against Mongolia. But Mahin Aftab Qureshi, Muzammil Murtaza and Ushna Sohail all lost their singles openers, and both of Pakistan’s mixed doubles pairs were beaten by Kazakh opponents.
• Fencing: The men’s épée team lost 7-5 to Qatar in the round of 16, despite relay wins for Mohammad Abdulali and Baryal Waqas Khan.
• Shooting: Rabia Kabir finished 41st in qualifying for the women’s 25m pistol.

A big Monday ahead

The coming days carry real medal hopes. The hockey team, beaten 5-4 by Malaysia on Saturday after a winning start, face Oman on Monday with a semi-final place at stake. The men’s cricket team, led by Sahibzada Farhan, begin their campaign against Hong Kong in the quarter-finals, after rain and a wet outfield disrupted their training in Nisshin on Sunday.

Also on Monday, Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem and Mohammad Yasir compete in the men’s javelin final, one of Pakistan’s best chances of a medal at these Games.

Why it matters

A win over Kazakhstan gives Pakistan’s volleyball team a strong platform in a demanding group and shows the progress of a sport with a growing following at home. With squash already delivering two medals and javelin, hockey and cricket all in action on Monday, the next 24 hours could shape how Pakistan’s Asian Games campaign is remembered.

This article draws on reporting published by Dawn.