Bangladesh extended their unbeaten streak in the CAVA Cup Men’s Volleyball Championship with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Sri Lanka at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.
The home side made a strong start, taking the first two sets 25-20 and 25-21 with composed play and effective teamwork. However, Sri Lanka mounted a spirited comeback, dominating the third and fourth sets 25-15 and 25-22 to level the score and set up a nail-biting decider.
In the final set, the tension inside the stadium was palpable as both teams fought for every point. Backed by a roaring home crowd, Bangladesh held their nerve to clinch the decisive set 15-11 and secure their third consecutive victory in the tournament.
Earlier, Turkmenistan overcame Afghanistan in another five-set thriller. The Turkmen side claimed the opening set 25-17 before Afghanistan responded with a close 25-23 win in the second. However, Turkmenistan regained control through powerful attacking and solid defense to take the remaining sets and seal the win.
Meanwhile, Nepal registered a comfortable straight-sets victory over the Maldives (25-21, 25-23, 25-18). The Himalayan side’s sharp attacking and precise serves proved too strong for the Maldivian team, despite their improved resistance in the second set.
With these results, hosts Bangladesh and Turkmenistan now lead the standings with three wins from three matches each. The two teams have set the early pace in the six-nation tournament, which also features Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, and the Maldives.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
