Pakistan eliminate India 3-0 in Asian Games 2026 quarter-final in Aichi

Pakistan beat India 25-19, 25-23, 25-18 in the men’s volleyball quarter-final at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi, Japan, on Thursday morning, knocking India out of the tournament. Murad Khan scored 19 points for Pakistan and landed 18 of his 33 spikes.

India’s defeat ends their prospect of winning an Asian Games men’s volleyball medal for the first time in 40 years; the nation last reached the podium at Seoul 1986 where they won bronze. India topped Pool C with wins over Vietnam (3-0), Hong Kong (3-0) and Qatar (3-2, after losing the opening couple of sets). Pakistan finished second in Pool A and entered the match as World No. 39, nine places above India.

Going into the quarter-final Indian captain Jerome Vinith had completed 69 spikes in the tournament, the most on either side, while Murad had 48. India’s top scorer in the match was Ashwal Rai with nine points.

Pakistan took the opening set 25-19 after the score was level at 8-8 and they pulled clear; at 11-14 India’s coach Dragan Mihailovic called a time-out but the gap widened. In that set Pakistan landed 17 of 24 spikes, while India landed 11 of 29.

India’s best chance came in the second set when they led 14-13, then 16-13 and 18-16, but Pakistan levelled at 19-19; India saved a set point before Pakistan closed out the set 25-23.

In the third set Pakistan led 8-4 and later 22-14, and although India saved a couple of match points an Ashwal Rai smash hit the net and Pakistan won the set 25-18. Across the match Pakistan landed 50 of 83 spikes to India’s 33 of 81 and led in blocks (20% to 10%) and digs (39% to 25%); digs are saves that stop the ball from hitting the floor.

Pakistan’s straight-sets victory books them a place in the semi-finals; India’s campaign is over.