Turkmenistan sealed their spot in the CAVA Cup Men’s 2025 final after defeating hosts Bangladesh in a thrilling five-set contest at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka, on Sunday.
The Central Asian side prevailed 3–2 (26–24, 17–25, 25–21, 20–25, 16–14) to maintain their unbeaten run and confirm a perfect four wins from four.
Both teams entered the court unbeaten, and the clash lived up to its billing as a top-of-the-table showdown full of drama, resilience, and crowd-fueled emotion. Bangladesh appeared on course to take the opening set after leading 24–21, but Turkmenistan mounted a stunning comeback, saving three set points before edging it 26–24.
Spurred on by a packed home crowd, Bangladesh responded with purpose in the second set, winning 25–17 to draw level. Turkmenistan then reasserted control through strong blocking and precise attacking play to capture the third 25–21.
The hosts refused to yield, showing character and composure to take the fourth set 25–20 and push the game into a tense decider.
The final set turned into a nerve-shredding battle. With the scores tied at 13–13, every point drew roars from the stands. But Turkmenistan held firm when it mattered most, closing out the contest 16–14 to book their place in the championship final.
Despite the narrow defeat, Bangladesh remain firmly in contention for a spot in the title match. Having collected eight points so far, the hosts will qualify for Monday’s final if they can overcome Afghanistan in their final round-robin fixture.
Elsewhere in the day’s other fixture, Sri Lanka were set to meet Nepal as the league stage approached its conclusion.
