The Indian men’s volleyball team settled for the sixth spot following their defeat to arch-rival Pakistan in three straight sets on Tuesday in the Asian Games. In the battle for the fifth spot, Pakistan took the honours after earning a comprehensive 21-25, 20,-25, 23-25 win in straight sets to grab the fifth spot. India after enjoying a successful campaign initially had to settle for sixth.
Pakistan’s Murad Khan stole the show as he scored 20 points making it hard for the Indian to find answers to his aggressive attacking intent. Both teams kicked off the game on equal footing, matching each other’s pace, stealing away points and making it hard for anyone to walk away with a lead.
Pakistan were the first to take a two-point lead with the score reading 6-8. But India bounced back to make it 9-all and then put themselves in the driver’s seat with the score reading 16-13. Pakistan bounced back after a gruelling contest, to take the first set by 25-21.
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Pakistan asserted their dominance in the second game as India struggled to take a lead throughout the game. India eventually ran out of steam as the conceded second straight game by 20-25.
In the third game, India fought hard to keep the game alive as well as their hopes of claiming the fifth spot. But Pakistan, once again proved to be a challenge that India failed to overcome and lost the third set by 23-25.
Editors pick
