"I'm also running in Korea next year."
Murad Khan (registered name Murad), the new apogit spy for Korean Air, has stretched. It is even more than expected. "I want to play in Korea next year," Murad said with a big smile.
Korean Air recruited Murad as a temporary replacement for Lincoln Williams, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation due to knee and back injuries, on April 22. Originally from Pakistan, Murad has been on the list of Pakistan's national team members by age since 2018. He was selected as a member of the senior national team last year and participated in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. In the match against Korea, he showed off his high level of attack decision-making ability and displayed good performance as a key player for the team. Prior to joining Korean Air, he maintained the top position in all attack indicators by starting as a key player at Neftochimic Burgas in the Bulgarian league.
Murad made his V-League debut as a substitute in the match against OK Financial Group on April 25. He scored six points (62.50 percent attack success rate). Since then, Murad has continued to play as a substitute. He needed time to adjust to the Korean Air system. Lim Dong-hyuk played the role of Apogit Spyker, his main player. Murad raised expectations by scoring 28 points (61.36 percent attack success rate) in the match against OK Financial Group on April 29, his second match.
He displayed fantastic performances in the match against Hyundai Capital on June 12, and he really impressed himself. Korean Air won the game with a set score of 3-2 (19-25 25-22 25-21 40-42 15-11). It was a close game that scored more than 40 points in the fourth set. He competed for 171 minutes for a whopping 2 hours and 51 minutes, setting a new record for the longest duration of games in both men and women in history.
Murad led the team win. He scored 52 points, the most among the two teams, including two blocks and two serves. He also displayed remarkable attack success rate of 72.73 percent. It was all the more impressive considering that he started from the second set after playing as a substitute in the first set. Although he lost in the fourth set, he boasted of his scoring ability by accumulating 19 points (70.37 percent attack success rate).
In the match against Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance held at Gyeyang Gymnasium in Incheon on Monday, Murad also scored 23 points (52.78% attack success rate). Korean Air won the game with a set score of 3-0 (25-23 25-20 25-22). It maintained second place with 43 points (14 wins and 10 losses) by winning two consecutive games. It succeeded in closely following Woori Card (15 wins and 8 losses), which has 43 points.
Murad owes a lot to him again this time. "Korean volleyball seems to be fast. I had a hard time blocking other teams because they play set very fast, but I am okay now. I tried to adjust quickly," Murad said. "As I have been spending time with Korean Air players, they are all like family. I think it's because they are training and living together." When asked who takes care of me the most, Murad couldn't pick one and smiled, saying, "Everyone is good."
He is playing alternately with Lim, taking charge of the apogit spy position. What would Murad think of Lim as he sees him? "He is a good player. In fact, I haven't memorized all the names of players yet, so I call them by their numbers. Lim is a good friend." He covered his face with both hands and burst into laughter shyly.
He is different on the court. He is particularly strong in matches and close matches. "I think I just want to do better at the moment. I think I should do my best," Murad said calmly.
Not only Korean Air but also several other teams are keeping an eye on Murad's play. "I want to play in Korea next year. I'm trying my best to stay in Korea," Murad said. "If I get to play more in the V-League, I think I'll have to prepare a lot technically."
Korean Air coach Tommy Tilikainen gave Murad a passing score. "Murad displayed a great performance in the match against Hyundai Capital. I tried hard to blend into our team's style for several weeks," he said. "He did his best to fit the system we wanted in defense and blocking other than offense." "I tell Murad, 'Do it 100 percent. Prepare for every situation,'" he added. "That's my training policy and the way I play."