Pakistan cruise into Asian U-19 Beach Volleyball semis

KARACHI: Pakistan on Saturday created ripples when they pulled off a majestic performance to progress to the semi-finals of the Asian Under-19 Beach Volleyball Championship being held at Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

The team, featuring Zarnab Khan and Afaq Khan, surprised everyone when they won both their outings on the second day of the 24-nation event by beating Laos 2-0 and strong Oman 2-1 after a sweating affair to make a place in the last four.

The other teams to reach the semi-finals are Indonesia, Thailand and Kazakhstan. Pakistan will face Indonesia and Kazakhstan will lock horns with top seed Thailand in the semi-finals on Sunday (today).

The winners of the last-four stage will face each other in the final which will be held on Sunday evening.

According to Pakistan’s Iranian coach Hamid Movahedi, as many as three teams will qualify for the Youth Olympics to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from October 1-6.

Pakistan, on Friday, had beaten Cambodia and Qatar with the identical scores of 2-0.

Pakistan Volleyball Federation’s (PVF) chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob did not expect such a fine performance from his team.

“I was not expecting such a glorious performance from the boys. They played a wonderful game,” Yaqoob told ‘The News’ on Saturday.

“You know, our juniors and youth are highly talented and we had picked the two best players and trained them hardly for 10 to 15 days,” Yaqoob said.

“If we qualify for the final then we will certainly make it to the Youth Olympics and it would be a dream come true,” the official said.

Lauding coach Hamid Movahedi’s expertise, Yaqoob said he is a fine coach.

“He really knows how to train his boys. Not only indoor but he is also an expert of the beach volleyball,” Yaqoob added.

Meanwhile PVF secretary Shah Naeem Zafar said if Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) provides training facilities to the boys in Islamabad and Karachi then the country can further grow in the beach volleyball.

“We have enormous talent. If we are given proper facilities by the Board, I am confident we can pull off stunning performances in future events too,” Shah said.