The Hindu : Sport / Volleyball : India wins title on better set-average

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Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007
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Sport - Volleyball

India wins title on better set-average

Karachi: India won the second Asian Central Zone volleyball championship on better set-average after being tied on points with Iran and Kazakhstan. The Indians lifted the trophy at the Liaquat Gymnasium in Islamabad on the last day of the championship that was contested by seven teams. Host Pakistan ended fourth after being beaten by Kazakhstan.

In accordance with the announcement of President General Pervez Musharraf, who was the chief guest on the opening day, the winning team got Rs. 1.5 million as prize money from the President of Pakistan Olympic Association, Lt. Gen. (R) Syed Arif Hasan, who presided on the final day.

India, Iran and Kazakhstan all scored five victories and lost one match each, but the Indian spikers won the title with a better average of 1.58, edging past Iran (1.17) and third-placed Kazakhstan (1.10).

On the last day of the single-league championship, India beat Maldives 25-13, 25-14, 25-12 while defending champion Kazakhstan fought off a strong challenge from Pakistan to win 25-22, 23-25, 25-23, 32-30. In between these two matches, Sri Lanka downed Turkmenistan 22-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-17.

Pakistan let go a good chance to finish third. Its spikers Kashif Mansoor, Sanaullah, Naseer and skipper Muhammad Zaman toiled hard but just failed to carry the day. Pakistan led 10-6 in the fourth game but Kazakhstan tied at 19-19 and then at 24-24. In the tie-break, Pakistan objected to a couple of decisions of the Maldivian referee but to no avail. — PTI

Our Special Correspondent adds from Chennai:

Apart from the trophy and prize money, the Indians had additional cheer in the form of special prizes for Ukkrapandian, who was adjudged the ‘best setter’ and Sube Singh, who was declared the ‘best blocker’.

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