Volleyball
Indian boys' U17 volleyball team earn maiden World C'ship qualification
A second round victory over Uzbekistan means a semifinal spot and a ticket to the 2026 U17 World C'ship.
The Indian boys' U17 team has qualified for the World Championships for the very first time. (Photo Credits: Asian Volleyball Confederation)
The Indian boys' volleyball team has booked its spot for the coveted World U17 Championships for the first time by reaching the semi-finals of the Asian U16 Volleyball Championships on what was their debut in Ratchaburi, Thailand, on Wednesday.
The team extended its unbeaten streak in the tournament with a thrilling 3-2 win (25-21, 25-16, 19-25, 18-25, 15-13) over reigning silver medalist Uzbekistan in the Classification round opener.
After winning the opening two sets, the Indian team looked to ease up a tad bit. This opened the door for the Uzbeks who duly staged a fight back in brilliant fashion to level the scores and force a decider.
However, the Indian team regained their composure and clinched a decisive victory by winning the deciding set to knock out Uzbekistan from the race to the semi-finals.
India is now in second place in its group with 6 points, just behind Japan. The two teams will now face each other on Thursday to decide the group winner and seek out a comparatively easier semifinal matchup.
Earlier, the Indian team registered three consecutive straight-set wins against Thailand, China, and Australia to top Pool A and confirm its place in the top-8 of the tournament.
