Asian Games 2023: India men’s volleyball team defeat Chinese Taipei, through to quarterfinals
M Sudharshan
India will face Asian giants and WR-5 Japan for a place in the semifinals.
The Indian men’s volleyball team defeated higher ranked Chinese Taipei in straight sets (3-0) and in the process progressed to the quarterfinals of Hangzhou Asian Games 2023. After topping the group stage beating Cambodia and 2018 Asian Games silver medalist South Korea, India continued their prime form against WR-43 Chinese Taipei (25-22, 25-22, 25-21).
Chinese Taipei held on to the lead for the majority of the opening set but India after the mid-stage mounted a comeback from (15-20) to (25-22). The blue colts scored ten points out of the 12 points on offer taking the momentum away from the East Asian country. The momentum carried forward in the 2nd set as well as India started strongly with a three-point lead (7-4).
However, Chinese Taipei did not let the match to slip away staging a strong comeback and leveling scores (17-17). In the end, like the previous set India managed to bag the set with similar score line (25-22). Chinese Taipei with good experience were expected to make a strong comeback but instead slid further down to six-point lead in the opening few minutes of 3rd set.
Like the 2nd set, the East Asian side staged a comeback to level scores once again but India was quick enough to take the set away and had four match points opportunity on offer. Chinese Taipei successfully defended one MP but India surged ahead to win the match comfortably.
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Amit Gulia and Ashwal Rai were the star of the day scoring 16 and 14 points respectively. The latter so far has scored 50 plus points in the tournament and was India’s highest scorer against Cambodia in the opening group stage encounter. The WR-73 team will be up against WR-5 and Asian giants Japan. The East Asian country has defeated in previous two Asian Games encounter (2014 and 2018).
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