PAF upset Army in Inter Services Volleyball history

PESHAWAR—After a long 28-years PAF upset Defending Champion Pakistan Army in straight sets encounter of the ongoing Inter-Services Volleyball Championship here at PSB Coaching Center’s indoor hall on Wednesday.
PAF success was marked by national team players Ismail and Riaz Khan who played superb game at front-row and back row-attacks. The complexion of the match was like Ismail-Riaz VS Army. They were instrumental in chalking out PAF win against Army, a team maintained its winning spree since long.
Army have the honor of winning the Championship successively since 1981-82 and PAF at last enable in breaking their continuous strike after 28-years. Ismail and Riaz were proved too good with their forceful smashes in the front-row attack but among them Ismail was the pick-of-the-pack who supported his team defence as well by picking some beautiful receptions in the back-row attack as well.
Ismail also help his libro by picking some difficult ball while diving to his left and right. His class of game guided PAF to come out at victorious in the thrill-pack three-sets match. Army have also services of seven national team players like Bakhtoo (Bakht Rasal), Muhammad Sakhi, Sanaullah Khan, Muhammad Saddique, Muhammad Yasin, Muhammad Jamil and Naeem Jan.
The star-studded Army did some resistance in the second set before losing the first set very easily at the hands of packed PAF team. PAF have only four national team players comprising Ismail, Riaz, Saqib Moon and Sayyad but they played with pre-planned strategy by breaking Army’s rock-like blockers by making two different pair led by Ismail and Riaz.
There were changes of pace smashes as well which made Army’s blockers task difficult to stop the flow of spikings. PAF took the first set by 25-18. The set was only tied at 4-4, 7-7, 9-9, 12-12, 13-13, and 18-18. The point-to-point tussle was only witnessed in the second set when it tied at 2-2, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, 12-12, 13-13, 14-14, 15-15, 16-16, 17-17, 18-18, 19-19, 20-20, 21-21, 22-22. After winning the first two sets, PAF raced up to 25-19.
The Championship, carrying Army, PAF, Navy, is being played on double league basis and both Army and PAF will again face each other in the league round for their second encounter.—Online