Pakistan beat India 3-0 to reach Asian Games 2026 semifinals

Dubai: Pakistan secured their spot in the Asian Games 2026 semifinals by defeating India 3-0 in the men's volleyball quarterfinal on Thursday. The match took place at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium. Pakistan emerged victorious with a scoreline of 25-19, 25-23, 25-18. Despite India's competitive performance in the second set, Pakistan demonstrated resilience and dominance, closing out the match in straight sets.

Khan Murad was the top scorer for Pakistan with 19 points, while Ali Usman Faryad contributed 13 points. This win advances Pakistan into the semifinals, where they will face the winner of the quarterfinal between South Korea and defending champions Iran. The other quarterfinals saw Thailand compete against China and Japan against Qatar.

The semifinals are set for Friday, followed by the final and bronze-medal match on Saturday, October 3. India's loss eliminates them from medal contention, pushing them to compete for the final five to eight positions. Pakistan is now striving to achieve a historic milestone, as they have never won the men's volleyball gold medal at the Asian Games.

Their best result came at the 1962 Jakarta Games when they secured bronze, trailing Japan and India. Pakistan's success in the semifinals will determine if they continue their pursuit of the gold medal at the final match.