Kathmandu, Nepal, December 14, 2024 – Calicut Heroes of India captured maiden title in the 2024 CAVA Men’s Club Volleyball Championship after dramatic 3-1 win against hosts Help Nepal Sports Club in the highly-anticipated showdown at Tripureswor Hall on Saturday.
The fantastic 25-21, 24-26, 25-14, 25-17 victory not only gave Calicut Heroes a sweet revenge against the team they had lost 2-3 in their opening match on December 7, but also handed them the first-ever title of the inaugural eight-day championship.
The last day of the 2024 CAVA Men’s Club Championship delivered an electrifying atmosphere in Kathmandu, as a large number of home fans flocked into the competition venue to witness two intense matches, starting with the bronze medal match at 1300pm local time, followed by gold medal clash at 1530pm.
Earlier in the third-place playoff, Iran Club survived a sturdy challenge from Club HDC of Maldives, the team they had beaten 3-2 in the single round-robin preliminaries, to wrap up the match in closely-contested three-setter 25-21, 27-25, 27-25 and return with bronze medal.
Opposite Amir Naderi Noureyni had a stellar performance to contribute a team-high 19 points from 12 attacks, 2 blocks, and 5 aces for Iran Club, while opposite Zhantemir Zheenbek Uulu from Kyrgyzstan emerged as the star performer of the day with 21 points from 19 attacks, one block and one ace for Club HDC.
The Iranians dominated the blocking game, getting 16 stuffs to Club HDC’s four, and also had more aces (6 to 1), but the Maldivian side did a very good job of leading their opponents in kills (44 to 43) and benefited from more opponent errors (22 to 14).
The eagerly-awaited gold medal match saw Calicut Heroes from India, fresh from 3-1 demolition of top-ranked Iran Club in the Friday’s semifinals, face off against Help Nepal Sports Club in the Saturday’s showdown. The high-octane clash ended with Calicut Heroes making their mark to land the historic title with a solid 3-1 (25-21, 24-26, 25-14, 25-17) victory against the host side.
The 200cm-tall middle blocker Shikhar Singh played a big part of the Calicut Heroes’ victory, producing 17 points from 11 attacks, 4 blocks and 2 aces, while outside hitter Mubashar Raza and fellow outside hitter Mazhar Ali, both talented imports from Pakistan, delivered strong performances, scoring 16 points each on the hosts’ loss.
Despite HNC’s valiant efforts, the teamwork and determination of Calicut Heroes ultimately secured them the championship title, lifting the trophy amid loud cheers from their supporters.
The awards presentation was held shortly after end of the championship match, with CAVA President Mr Mohamed Latheef, himself AVC Executive Vice President, and President of Nepal Volleyball Association Mr Jitendra Chand jointly presiding over the grand ceremony.
Mr Latheef, also joined by Mr Jitendra Chand, presented the coveted Champions Trophy to Calicut Heroes, while the Dream Team players were honored with their awards. Help Nepal Sports Club (HNC) and Iran Club took silver and bronze medals respectively.
The championship also recognized standout players who formed the Dream Team. Erin Vargaese of Calicut Heroes was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his consistent brilliance.
The Dream Team positions included Mubashar Raza of HNC as the first Best Outside Hitter, Erin Vargaese of Calicut Heroes as the second Best Outside Hitter, Iran Club’s Mohammed Nima Bateni took the first Best Middle Blocker, Shikhar Singh of Calicut Heroes won the second Best Middle Blocker. The Best Opposite Player Award went to Amir Naderi Noureyni of Iran Club, while Adnan Khan of HNC claimed Best Setter and Mahdi Sakhavi of Iran Club secured Best Libero.
The day also marked a glorious finale to an exciting tournament, celebrating the spirit of volleyball and the rising talent across Central Asia.
SATURDAY’S FINAL RESULTS
FINAL TEAM RANKINGS
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Best Outside Hitters: 1. Mubashar Raza – Help Nepal Sports Club (Nepal) 2. Erin Vargaese – Calicut Heroes (India)
Best Middle Blockers: 1. Mohammed Nima Bateni – Iran Club (Iran), 2. Shikhar Singh – Calicut Heroes (India)
Best Opposite Hitter: Amir Naderi Noureyni – Iran Club (Iran Club)
Best Setter: Adnan Khan – Help Nepal Sports Club (Nepal)
Best Libero: Mahdi Sakhavi – Iran Club (Iran)
Most Valuable Player: Erin Vargaese – Calicut Heroes (India)
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