MANAMA: Pakistan powered into the semi-finals of the boys volleyball event at the Asian Youth Games after a commanding straight-sets win over China in the quarter-finals on Sunday, extending their unbeaten run in the tournament.
The Green Shirts wrapped up the contest in just 53 minutes at the Isa Sports City, winning 25-12, 25-13, 25-17, to book their place among the final four.
Earlier in the competition, Pakistan began their campaign with a straight-sets victory over Mongolia, followed by another 3-0 triumph against hosts Bahrain in the Group ‘A’ stage. They maintained their momentum in the 1-8 Classification Round, outclassing Uzbekistan 3-0 on Thursday before overcoming Saudi Arabia 3-1 on Friday with scores of 25-16, 25-21, 23-25, and 26-24.
Khizar Hayat, Mohammad Yahya, and Mohammad Anas delivered standout performances throughout the matches, solidifying Pakistan’s dominance on the court.
Pakistan will face their semi-final opponents on October 27 (Monday) at 9pm local time (11pm PKT).
The country’s 53-member contingent has already secured its first medal at the ongoing games, a bronze in the boys’ kabaddi event.
In a social media post, the Pakistan Volleyball Federation hailed the victory as a “proud achievement,” crediting Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Director General Muhammad Yasir Pirzada for organizing the national training camp that prepared the team for the tournament.
The 2025 Asian Youth Games, being held in Manama, Bahrain, mark the event’s return after a 12-year hiatus since the 2013 edition in Nanjing, China. The games run from October 22 to 31, with some events having started on October 19.
