The Qatar Volleyball Association has revived its popular initiative and the Inter-Community Volleyball Challenge Cup is all set to begin on Wednesday.
The QVA was the first sports body in Qatar to launch the event in 2011 to engage both local players and fans from various communities in the sport. With large crowd of supporters turning up at the matches and the finals, the event turned out to be a much-awaited competition.
For some unknown reasons, the event was stopped after three editions in 2013. But this year, the QVA decided to relaunch it and the opening match at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena on Wednesday pits the Philippines against Sri Lanka.
The other two participating teams are India (KMCC Indians) and Nepal.
QVA Technical Director Hussein Imam Ali informed that the four teams would play on a single round-robin format, with the top two teams figuring in the gold medal match on May 13. The remaining two teams would fight it out for the bronze medal.
While welcoming representatives of all the four participating communities, he informed that the contesting communities could field three star players of their respective country in one match as well.
The Philippines have brought Ysrael Wilson Marasigan, Esmilzo Joner Polvorosa and Marck Jesus Espejo, while Nepal are using Em Bahadur Magar, Kul Bahadur Thapa and Sanjay Aryal.
Sri Lanka have got wing spiker Manikkavalage Gayan Madusanka Premaratna (192 cms), wing spiker Subasingha Arachchilage Janitha Surath (189 cms) and setter Pandige Kasun Chathuranga Fernando (173 cms).
Premaratna and Fernando started playing for the Sri Lankan national team in 2008, while Surath made his international debut one year later. All were the members of the team that finished runners-up to India in the 2016 SAFF Games.
For India, all-rounder Jerome Vinith, wing spiker Prabagaran and setter Ranjith Singh will compete. All the three players are part of the current national team with Prabagaran being the senior most among them.
Prabagaran, Vinith, who can spike at 350 cms, and Singh helped India finish fifth during the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. Vinish and Singh also figured in the team that earned the second place in the AVC Cup in Kazakhstan in 2014.
Prabagaran is able to smash the ball at 348 cms height and won the best attacker award during the Asia Cup in 2014 when India were placed second.
The matches will be organised at two venues – the QVA Hall and Attiya Arena in Al Sadd area. On May 13, the matches will take place after the Emir’s Cup final. Entry is free and fans will be provided raffle draw coupons at the Gate No. 4 at the Attiya Arena. If lucky, they can win attractive gifts in the raffle draw.
Sudan had won the last Inter-Community title in 2013-14 season.
The schedule

May 11 (Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena)
At 6 pm : The Philippines vs Sri Lanka
India vs Nepal
May 12 (QVA Hall)
At 8 pm – India vs Sri Lanka
Nepal vs the Philippines
At 9 pm – Nepal vs Sri Lanka
The Philippines vs India
May 13 (Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena)
At 6 pm – Third vs Fourth
First vs Second