July 28, 2002	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 17,1423

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

ISLAMABAD, July 27: Under-19 players Imran Mohib and Naseem Tehkali booked their berths in the semifinals of the 6th Hashim Khan National Junior Championship Saturday in Wah but both were made to sweat by their stubborn quarterfinal opponents.

Imran, of NWFP, had to go the distance in squeezing past Majid Khan of the Civil Aviation Authority and fought back after losing the fist two games to win 9-10, 5-9, 9-5, 9-5, 9-0 in 75 minutes.

Majid, who had beaten qualifier Tariq Aziz in the first round Friday had started well and looked in control after seizing the initiative but made mistakes in the last three games that allowed Imran to get on top.

Naseem’s quarterfinal against Shah Nawaz followed a similar pattern as the Imran-Majid match as Naseem dropped the first two games only to bounce back and take the next three for a 1-9, 3-9, 9-2, 9-3, 9-0 victory that came in 85 minutes.

Punjab’s Khayal Muhammad also went through to the semifinals beating Khalid Atlas of PAF in straight games 9-6, 9-0, 9-2.

Khayal faced a bit of resistance only in the first game as he gave away six points but got his act together in the following games in which he was in firm control.

Arshad Iqbal Burki was the last player to make the last four grade as he beat Alamzeb in four games 9-5, 9-2, 4-9, 9-0.

In Sunday’s semifinals, Khayal will be up against Imran while Tehkali will take on Arshad.

Farhan Mahboob meanwhile set up a semifinal clash with Rizwan Ahmed in the under-17 after both won their quarterfinals in straight games. The other pre-final will see Basit Ashfaq playing Aqib Hanif.

Farhan outplayed team-mate Aurangzeb 9-0, 9-2, 9-0 in 16 minutes while Rizwan beat Maqbali Khan 10-9, 9-3, 9-5.

Basit Ashfaq’s victim was Sindh’s Zaki Muneeb whom he thrashed 9-1, 9-0, 9-2 and then Aqib Hanif earned his semifinal ticket with a 10-8, 9-2, 9-3 rout of Naveed Nasir.

In the under-15 age group quarterfinals, Adil Atlas was extended by Zahir Shah before achieving a 9-0, 4-9, 7-9, 9-5, 9-0 win that put him in a semi-final clash with Alamzeb Jnr, a 9-4, 9-0, 9-2 winner against NWFP’s Alamgir Rehman.

The other semi-final Saturday will pit Waqar Ahmed, who defeated Rehmanullah 9-7, 6-9, 0-9, 9-4, 10-8, against Farzan Ahmed who edged out Zohaib Ahmed 9-7, 5-9, 9-1, 9-0.

The under-13 quarterfinals Amir Atlas beating Danish Atlas 2-9, 9-2, 9-3, 10-8 in 22 minutes while Intikhab Alam scored a 9-5, 9-2, 9-7 win over Muhammad Ali. # Waqar Mehboob needed 12 minutes in hammering Owais Rahim 9- 6, 9-1, 9-1 and Adnan Khan dispatched Sheikh Saqib 9-1, 9-7, 9-0.