PESHAWAR: Spirited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stunned Pakistan Junior team in a thrill-packed five sets battle (3-2) and moved to the semi-finals of the ongoing All Pakistan Sardar Muhammad Zareen Memorial Volleyball Championship being played at Homa Mera Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.
It is a great win by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa young team against strong Pakistan Junior team, former national team coach Khalid Waqar told APP on phone.
He said the spirited team of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa not only registered the key victory against a strong Pakistan Junior team but also qualified for the semi-final after a tough fight in the 3-2 battle.
The two teams stretched to five sets before playing a superb display of attacking spikes and strong serves wherein a large number of spectators also enjoyed with their cheering hands.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lost the first set at 18-25 and similarly Pakistan Juniors side came back strong with another set victory at 19-25 but later on failed to click. Taking 2-0 lead in the first set, Pakistan Juniors did not concentrate on their forceful display and lost some key points.
On the other hand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team after conceding two sets managed their position and staged a strong comeback by winning the third set at 25-22. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team featuring Waleed Khan, Nasir, Khalilullah, Ahtisham Khan, Zohaib, Mir Afzal, Imran Khan, Hassan, Azhar Khan, Junaid, Talha and Irfan Khan played like a rock and did not give much time to Pakistan Juniors team to strike back.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after making the set tally 1-2, won another set, the fourth one, and tied the tally 2-2. The score was 26-24. KP saved two match points and marched to victory at 26-24 before playing a level at 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, 12-12, 13-13, 17-17, 18-18, 19-19, 20-20, 21-21, 22-22, 23-23, and 24-24.
It was the fifth and running set when Khyber Pakhtunkhwa marched into victory at 18-16. This time too Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saved two match points and thus won the key match against Pakhtunkhwa Junior team.
Khalid Waqar also announced Rs. 20,000 for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team and appreciated KP Coach Wasifullah for training the team on high note in the Directorate General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Volleyball Academy in Peshawar.
In the other match Pakistan White team defeated host Azad Jammu and Kashmir team by 3-0, the score was 25-19, 25-22 and 25-21.
