Green-shirts fall 16-14 in decisive set in the FIVB Under-17 World Championship quarter-finals
Pakistan’s teenage volleyball players bowed out of the FIVB Boys’ Under-17 World Championship after a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat by Iran on Thursday but their run to the quarter-finals marked a landmark moment for the country’s volleyball programme.
Pakistan, ranked 13th entering the tournament, pushed their higher-ranked neighbours to the limit before Iran prevailed 25-23, 20-25, 17-25, 25-11, 16-14 in a tense quarter-final that swung dramatically from one side to the other.
The defeat ended Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals, but their quarter-final appearance was the country’s first at the Under-17 world championship and capped an impressive campaign in Doha.
Iran made the better start, edging a closely fought opening set 25-23, but Pakistan responded with authority.
The Green-shirts attacked with greater purpose in the second set, while disciplined blocking and organised defence helped them level the match with a 25-20 win.
Pakistan then produced arguably their finest volleyball of the tournament in the third set. They controlled the exchanges, applied sustained pressure on Iran and moved within one set of a place in the semi-finals with a commanding 25-17 victory.
The momentum, however, shifted sharply in the fourth set.
Pakistan were hit by an injury to their libero, who was forced to leave the court and could not return for the decisive fifth set. Iran capitalised on the disruption, taking the fourth set 25-11 to force a decider.
The final set became a test of composure.
Pakistan refused to surrender despite losing an important defensive player and stayed with Iran throughout the closing stages. Neither side was able to establish a decisive advantage as the score remained tight deep into the set.
Iran eventually edged the contest 16-14, ending one of Pakistan’s most memorable performances at a world-level youth volleyball tournament.
Muhammad Faizan, Waleed and Muhammad Irfan were among Pakistan’s standout performers, playing important roles as their side recovered from losing the opening set and established a 2-1 lead.
The result was particularly significant because Pakistan had already produced one of the tournament’s notable upsets in the previous round. In the round of 16, Pakistan recovered from two sets down to defeat Egypt 3-2, winning 17-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-15 and 15-12. Egypt entered that match ranked sixth in the world, while Pakistan were 13th.
Pakistan had earlier opened their pool campaign with a 3-0 victory over Chinese Taipei before losing 3-0 to Iran. They then defeated Algeria 3-0 to advance to the knockout stage. Their second meeting with Iran proved far more competitive.
For the Pakistan Volleyball Federation, the tournament represents evidence of a promising new generation capable of challenging established volleyball nations.
PVF chairman Chaudhry Muhammad Yaqoob praised the players after the quarter-final, saying the injury to the libero had created difficulties, particularly in the fourth and fifth sets, but that the team had played outstanding volleyball and made the country proud.
He also congratulated the players and coaching staff for reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in Pakistan’s history and for fighting until the final point against Iran.
PVF president Sohail Khawar Mir announced a cash award of Rs1.5 million for the U17 players in recognition of their performance.
Pakistan will now move into the classification stage to determine their final position in the tournament. They are expected to finish fifth or sixth, depending on the remaining classification results.
For a team that arrived in Doha ranked 13th, however, the final placing will tell only part of the story.
