Asian Volleyball Championship 2023: India finish 11th - all results and scores

The Indian men’s volleyball team finished 11th at the Asian Volleyball Championship 2023 held in Urmia, Iran, from August 19 to 26. The top 17 sides from the continent competed in the 22nd edition of the biennial tournament.

India secured the 11th position by getting the better of Iraq in the 11th-12th classification match held on Friday (August 25). India suffered a defeat against Indonesia in the 7th-10th classification match on Thursday (August 24).

Earlier, the Indian volleyball team progressed to the knockout stage, having attained the second position in Pool E behind Qatar. In the round of final twelve, India lost to the People's Republic of China and were out of the race for the quarter-finals.

The 17 volleyball teams competing at the Asian Volleyball Championship 2023 were divided into six pools (A to F). Except for a two-team Pool D, the other five groups consisted of three teams each. The pool stage of the tournament saw the teams in each group play each other in a single-legged round-robin format.

The top two teams from each group moved into the final twelve. The other teams played in the 13-17th spot classification matches.

Asian Volleyball Championship 2023: Teams and pools

Pool A: Iran, Hong Kong, Iraq

Pool B: Japan, Uzbekistan, Thailand

Pool C: People’s Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Indonesia

Pool D: Chinese Taipei, Bahrain

Pool E: Afghanistan, Qatar, India

Pool F: Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Korea

India were in Pool E with Afghanistan and Qatar. Japan, the most decorated team in the tournament with nine titles, were in Pool B. In the final twelve, group winners were drawn against runner-ups from other pools. Iran and Japan progressed directly to the semi-finals from the final twelve stage. The other four teams played one additional round to make the semis.

India’s best result at the Asian Volleyball Championship came at the 2005 edition held in Thailand when they finished fourth. In the last edition hosted by Japan two years ago, India finished ninth.

India had named a 12-member squad for the Asian Volleyball Championship 2023.

Asian Volleyball Championship 2023: Indian squad

Indian volleyball team: Amit Gulia, Ashamatullah, Ashwal Rai, Erin Varghese, Hari Prasad BS, Jerome Vinith, John Joseph EJ, Muthusamy Appavu, Shameemudheen, Vinayak Rokhade, Vinit Kumar, Rohit Kumar

Asian Volleyball Championship 2023: India group stage results, scores and standings

*Top two teams qualify for round of 12

Glossary: SW - Sets Won, SL - Sets Lost, SPW - Set Points Won, SPL - Set Points Lost

August 19, Saturday: India 0-3 Qatar (20-25, 19-25, 19-25)

August 21, Monday: India 3-1 Afghanistan (25-15, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19)

Asian Volleyball Championship 2023: India playoff/classification round results and scores

August 23, Wednesday: Final twelve - India 2-3 China (31-29, 19-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-13)

August 24, Thursday: 7th–12th places classification - India 0-3 Indonesia (29-31, 18-25, 12-25)

August 25, Friday: 11th-place classification - India 3-0 Iraq (25-17, 25-23, 25-16)