PVF to send volleyball team abroad for training

KARACHI: In a bid to provide a few tune-up matches to the national volleyball team ahead of the Asian Championship, Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) plans to send the squad to Thailand or Iran next month on a short training tour.

“Iran is one of the options for training tour. We have also written to Thailand as it will be suitable for us as from there the team will move directly to Indonesia,” PVF chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob told ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

The Asian Championship is slated to be held in Indonesia from July 24 to August 1.

Pakistan team is training at the Liaquat Gymnasium Islamabad under the Iranian coach Hamid Movahedi, who is very keen to prepare a fighting lot for the tough competitions.

“We are doing very hard training in the night. We are short of time. Our camp was started quite late. Other nations work for two years to prepare for this event,” Hamid told ‘The News’. “Japan, Iran, China, Chinese Taipei, Australia, Qatar and Kazakhstan are playing in the world league and you know how much in confidence they will field in the Asian Championship. They will be in much better shape and fighting against them will not be easy,” Hamid pointed out.

In the 14-team event, Pakistan have been placed in Group B with the last edition’s runners-up Iran ad Chinese Taipei, who had finished sixth in the last edition.

Indonesia, Qatar and Kazakhstan are in Group A.

Defending champions Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Sri Lanka form Group C.

Australia, China, Thailand and Hong Kong are in Group D.

A few years ago Chinese Taipei were not a dangerous side and Pakistan would easily beat them but now it will be difficult for the Green-shirts to overcome it. “Chinese Taipei have improved a lot. They have a very good programme for volleyball development and their progress is tremendous. But we will try to spring a surprise against them,” hoped Hamid, who took charge of Pakistan team in early April.

The players will be relieved for three days (from June 25 to 27) to celebrate Eid with their families.

The top eight teams of the Asian Championship will qualify for the AVC Cup which will be hosted by Chinese Taipei in 2018.

Under Hamid, Pakistan offered their best against tough teams like Turkey and Kazakhstan in the Islamic Games and World Championship qualifiers recently.