Thailand beat Qatar 3-0: 13-year-old Mubarak scores 12 but cannot save the match

FUKUOKA – On day two of the AVC Men’s Volleyball Asian Championship, Thailand defeated Qatar 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-14), Australia defeated Bahrain 3-0, and China defeated India 3-0 despite two extended sets. The biggest talking point was Mubarak Musa Thiik Madut, Qatar's 13-year-old opposite hitter standing 2.10m tall. Mubarak posted 12 points: five kills, five kill blocks, and two aces. His blocking reads were extraordinary for such a young player, but Qatar's reception problems limited his attacking volume. Thailand used a balanced attack: Napadet Bhinijdee scored 14, Chaiwat Thungkham 13, and Thanat Bamrungphakdi 10. Australia impressed with Lorenzo Pope's 19 points and Nehemiah Mote's perfect middle-blocker performance. China's narrow set wins over India raised doubts about their consistency. The tournament serves as a pathway to the LA 2028 Olympics and the 2027 World Cup. Qatar need to fix their reception ahead of facing Chinese Taipei, while keeping long-term development realistic for their young opposite.