Pakistan WAPDA secures first-ever bronze medal in 2018 Asian Men's Club Championship

Playing for the bronze medal after loosing the semi final earlier yesterday to ATYRAU Volleyball Club of Kazakhstan, WAPDA made history for Pakistan by defeating Veitnamese volleyball club 'Sanest Khanh Hoa' in an epic 3-2 (19-25, 25-21, 16-25, 25-20, 18-16) victory. Habib Bank Limited is the only team from Pakistan to enter the semi-finals of the championship since the start of the Club Championship in 1999. HBL remained 4th in the 2005 edition of the Championship which was hosted in Islamabad. The maiden bronze medal achieved by WAPDA has proved that Pakistan volleyball has already reached new heights.

Vietnam’s Sanest Khanh Hoa and WAPDA had a similar 4-1 record in the championship as they faced each other for the 3rd position match. They both have only lost came in the semi-finals played a day before. The Vietnamese side lost in straight sets to Iran’s Khatam Ardakan, where as the Pakistani side narrowly lost in the exhausting five sets to Kazakhstan’s Atyrau.

WAPDA lost the opening set 25-19 as Vietnamese spike-duo of Tran Trien Chieu and Duong Van Tien produced some excellent opportunities which were assisted by some spectacular blocking from Tran Trien Chieu and Le Quang Doan.

Starting into the second set, it was time for WAPDA's highest semifinal-scorer Murad Jehan, and hard-hitting Aimal Khan to help Pakistan even out the first set deficit. WAPDA got off to a great start in the second set with an early 4-1 lead on which they built-on their advance with a 4-point clear at 22-18. With Aimal Khan, Murad Jehan and Sheraz Sheraz positioning themselves well for the counter-attacks, the Vietnamese were unsettled as  WAPDA stormed on to win a tough-looking set at 25-21.

The 3rd set proved to be a see-saw as the Veitnamese side put their acts together and fueled the momentum swing in their favour by winning some crucial points to lead with a commanding 23-14. WAPDA saved one set point before going down 16-25 in the one-sided set.

WAPDA now playing the do-or-die fourth set got a comfortable 3-point lead at 21-18. The rivals struck back with some fine blocks and attacks, but their attempts were in vain. The Pakistani side went on to win the set 25-20.

The deciding 5th tie-break set proved to be a real thriller as both sides poured everything into it to claim the bronze medal. The neck-to-neck set saw the lead change hand several times between the two sides and finally levelling at 16-16. WAPDA then snatched straight two points from there to win the set and match at 18-16.

Aimal Khan scored the most in the win with 25 points including 23 attacks, while Murad Jehan added 18 points including 16 kills for WAPDA to snatch the maiden Bronze medal for Pakistan in Asian Men's Club Championship.

'Khatam Ardakan' of Iran won the 2018 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship following a hard-fought 29-27, 25-23, 25-22 victory over 'Atyrau' Volleyball Club of Kazakhstan.