By Ijaz Ahmad Khan
PESHAWAR: Pakistan have defeated defending champions Iran in a dramatic five-set final and claimed the U-16 Asian Volleyball Championship title on Saturday. In a high-octane showdown, Pakistan overcame a two-set deficit to register a memorable 3–2 victory and etch their name into the tournament’s history books. This win not only dethroned the reigning champions but also capped off a flawless run by Pakistan’s young volleyball team, which remained undefeated throughout the tournament.
The final score line stood at 22–25, 21–25, 30–28, 25–21, 15–10 in favour of Pakistan, who mounted a spirited comeback after Iran took an early lead. Iran, the defending champions, had dominated the opening two sets but failed to maintain momentum as Pakistan rallied with determination. Junaid led the scoring for Pakistan with 28 points, while Faizan added 22. Talha contributed nine points and Muhammad Irfan chipped in with eight.
Earlier in the day, India defeated Japan 3-2 to win the bronze medal.
The Championship was the second edition of the Asian Men’s U16 Volleyball Championship, a biennial international volleyball tournament organized by Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) with Thailand Volleyball Association (TVA).
The tournament was held in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand from July 12 to 19. This tournament also served as a qualification tournament for the FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U17 World Championship. Iran, Pakistan, Japan, and India qualified for the world championship as the top four teams.
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