India go down to Bahrain in opening game of Asian volleyball championship
The Indian volleyball team lost in straight sets to Bahrain and will now face higher-ranked Qatar and former champions Japan in its remaining group games.
The men’s Indian volleyball team began its Asian volleyball championship 2021 campaign with a straight-sets loss to Bahrain in their first Group A match at the Chiba Port Arena, Japan on Sunday.
World No. 84 India lost 3-0 (27-25, 25-21, 25-21) to Bahrain, ranked 87th in the world.
India face an uphill task next against world No. 30 Qatar on Monday before taking on nine-time Asian champions Japan on Tuesday in their remaining two matches in Group A.
The Indian volleyball team has to finish in the top two in their group to progress to the quarter-finals.
India have appeared in all but three editions of the men’s Asian volleyball championships since it began in 1975. They have a best finish of fourth in the 2005 edition.
A biennial event, the 2021 Asian Volleyball Championships also act as qualifiers for the 2022 FIVB World Championships - with the finalists gaining direct entry to the tournament.
The Indian volleyball team had finished eighth in the 2019 Asian Championships in Tehran, Iran.