Pakistan secured a 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan in their Pool A opener at the 20th Asian Games in Japan.
NAGOYA, Japan: Pakistan made a winning start to the men’s volleyball competition at the 20th Asian Games on Sunday, defeating Kazakhstan 3-1 in their Pool A opener at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium.
Pakistan dominated the opening two sets, winning 25-16 and 25-22 to take an early advantage. Kazakhstan responded in the third set, securing a 25-17 victory and extending the match.
Pakistan regained control in the fourth set and closed it out 25-20 to seal a 3-1 victory. The match lasted one hour and 26 minutes.
Murad Khan led Pakistan’s scoring with 21 points, including 17 successful spikes and four blocks. Usman Faryad Ali contributed 14 points, while Murad Jehan added 11.
Pakistan also held an advantage in attacking points, scoring 55 from spikes compared with Kazakhstan’s 48.
Pakistan team manager and former captain Naseer Ahmed said the team could have completed the match in straight sets but allowed Kazakhstan to recover after winning the first two sets. He expressed confidence about the team’s upcoming matches against Uzbekistan and Japan.
Pakistan will face Uzbekistan on Monday before taking on hosts Japan on Tuesday in their remaining Pool A matches. The group also includes Kazakhstan.
The men’s volleyball competition features 16 teams divided into four groups, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the quarterfinals. The knockout stage is scheduled to begin on Oct. 1, followed by the semifinals on Oct. 2 and the medal matches on Oct. 3.
The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games are being held in Japan from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4. The event is the 20th edition of the Asian Games, with 45 countries and regions participating alongside the OCA Refugee Team. The Games feature competitions across 43 sports.
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