ISLAMABAD, Feb 3: Junior British Open champion Yasir Butt and Shah Nawaz Monday ensured that Tuesday’s semifinals of the 11th Asian Junior Squash Championship feature only Pakistanis, knocking out their respective Indian rivals in the quarterfinals.

While the passage through to the last four was not all that difficult for Yasir Butt who needed 40 minutes to go past Saurav Ghosal of India 9-5, 9-3, 9-3, it was Shah Nawaz who was made to sweat by another Indian Siddharth Schude.

Shah Nawaz had to be on court for a good 80 minutes and saw the match slipping away from his grasp after Schude had gallantly fought back from two games down to pull level. The Pakistani was behind 0-5 in the decisive fifth game but in a dramatic turnaround, he recollected all his energies to overpower his opponent 9-7, 9-6, 6-9, 7-9, 9-7 much to the relief of the Pakistan camp.

Farhan Mahboob sprang a surprise as he ended the run of top seed Khalid Atlas in the longest quarterfinal of the day. He had to toil for an hour and a half before winning the match that went the distance 9-6, 6-9, 2-9, 9-4, 10-8.

Safeerullah Khan, who won the under-19 Junior British Open crown last month, continued his march making the semifinals with another straight games victory over country-fellow Bilal Zaman whom he brushed aside in less than half an hour in impressive style.

In the seminfinals Safeerullah will now play Yasir Butt and Shah Nawaz will take on Farhan Mahboob.

Earlier in the day, Khalid Atlas had swept past India’s Vikas Jangra 9-3, 9-2, 9-8 while Safeerullah was a comfortable 9-1, 9- 0, 9-2 winner against Patrick Choi of Hong Kong in just 20 minutes.

Bilal Zaman’s victim in the third round was Malaysian Timothy Arnold who was beaten 9-7, 1-9, 2-9, 9-4, 9-3 and Yasir Butt blew Kuwait’s Nasser Bader Ramezi off court in only 12 minutes, winning 9-2, 9-0, 9-0.

Aqib Hanif and Basit Ashfaq fell by the wayside in the third round losing to Shah Nawaz and Farhan Mahboob.

Meanwhile Indian girls Joshna Chinappa and Vaidehi Reddy advanced to the semifinals with contrasting victories.

While it was a mere formality for Joshna who thrashed her country woman Alisha Mashruwala 9-1, 9-2, 9-3 in less than 15 minutes, Vaidehi found a tough opponent in Sally Looi of Malaysia whom she overpowered in five games 5-9, 10-9, 7-9, 9-2, 9-6.

Also making the last four were Hong Kong players Chan Ho Ling, a 9-1, 9-3, 9-5 winner over Malaysia’s Delia Arnold and Chu Ka Kai who edged past Lim Yoke Wah, her countrywoman 7-9, 10-8, 9-5, 9-0.

Boys individual event (third round): Safeerullah Khan (Pak) bt Patrick Choi 9-1, 9-0, 9-2; Bilal Zaman (Pak) bt Timothy Arnold (Mal) 9-7, 1-9, 2-9, 9-4, 9-3; Saurav Ghosal (Ind) bt Vincent Yu (HKG) 9-2, 9-5, 9-7; Yasir Butt (Pak) bt Nasser Bader Ramezi (Kuw) 9-2, 9-0, 9-0; Siddharth Schude (Ind) bt M. Shahril (Mal) 9-1, 9-1, 9-1; Shah Nawaz (Pak) bt Aqib Hanif (Pak) 9-5, 9- 4, 9-3; Farhan Mahboob (Pak) bt Basit Ashfaq (Pak) 9-6, 9-3, 7-9, 9-5; Khalid Atlas (Pak) bt Vikas Jangra (Ind) 9-3, 9-2, 9-8.

Boys quarterfinals: Safeerullah Khan (Pak) bt Bilal Zaman (Pak) 9-4, 9-3, 9-0; Yasir Butt (Pak) bt Saurav Ghosal (Ind) 9-5, 9-3, 9-3; Shah Nawaz (Pak) bt Siddharth Schude (Ind) 9-7, 9-6, 6- 9, 7-9, 9-7; Farhan Mahboob (Pak) bt Khalid Atlas (Pak) 9-6, 6-9, 2-9, 9-4, 10-8.

Girls quarterfinals: Joshna Chinappa (ind) bt Alisha Mashruwala (ind) 9-1, 9-2, 9-3; Chan Ho LIng (HKG) bt Delia Arnold (Mal) 9-1, 9-3, 9-5; Chua Ka Kai (HKG) bt Lim Yoke Wah (HKG) 7-9, 10-8, 9-5, 9-0; Vaidehi Reddy (Ind) bt Sally Looi (Mal) 5-9, 10-9, 7-9, 9-2, 9-6.