|
|
|
| July 26, 2003 | Saturday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 25, 1424 |
Favourites PIA rout NWFP and Army
LAHORE, July 25: Top seed PIA thrashed second seed Army 3-0 in the opening Pool “A’ match of the first national squash team championship at the Punjab Squash Complex courts on Friday.
Pakistan’s number one ranked player Mansoor Zaman was given a fright by Zubair Ali in a battle that lasted 50 minutes. Mansoor eventually won 9-6, 6-9, 9-5, 9-5 to give PIA a winning start.
Shahid Zaman doubled the lead when he outclassed Khalid Atlas in straight games 9-4, 9-6, 9-1. Shahid took only 43 minutes to earn victory.
Arshad Iqbal Burki, however, stretched to five games against unseeded Asghar Khan before registering 9-5, 2-9, 9-0, 4-9, 9-2 for victory. Arshad battled for 52 minutes to notch up win.
International Yasir Butt gave Punjab a 1-0 lead when he shrugged off the loss of the second game to beat Waseem Shad 9-2, 4-9, 10-8, 9-6. The encounter lasted 67 minutes.
Wakeel Khan levelled the score 1-1 overcoming Haider Jamal 3-2 in a well contested match. Wakeel had lost the first two games but he came back roaring to win the next three games. The score in favour
of Wakeel was 7/9, 6/9, 10/8, 9-5, 9-2.
Bilal Zaman completed NWFP’s win when he outlasted Farzan Rashid in four games 10-9, 9-7, 6-9, 9-8.
In another hard fought match Mari Gas, the top team of Pool “B”, beat Pakistan Air Force (PAF) 2-1.
National Under-19 champion Safeer Khan showed his class. He defeated Farrukh Zaman 9-4, 9-2, 10-8 in just 35 minutes to put PAF 1-0 ahead.
International Khayal Muhammad made it 1-1 beating Under-17 champion Farhan Mehboob in straight games 9-3, 9-6, 9-3.
Shahnawaz showed great stamina to beat Naveed Atlas in five games encounter to bring win in the crucial match for Mari Gas. Shahnawaz struggled for 63 minutes to earn victory after losing the first two games 6-9, 5-9, 9-7, 9-5, 9-2.
All the other matches were decided in three straight games.
Results:
PIA beat Army 3-0: Mansoor Zaman bt Zubair Ali 9-6, 6-9, 9-5, 9-5. Shahid Zaman bt Khalid Atlas 9-4, 9-6, 9-1. Arshad Iqbal Burki bt Asghar Khan 9-5,2-9, 9-0, 4-9, 9-2.
Balochistan bt UGC 3-0: Shahab Hussain bt Asghar Ali 9-1, 9-0, 9-1. Rizwan Ahmed bt Zahid Nasir 4-9, 9-4, 9-3, 9-1. Salman Nasir got walk over.
NWFP bt Punjab 2-1: Yasir Butt (Punjab) bt Waseem Shad (NWFP) 9-2, 9-4, 10-8, 9-6. Wakeel Khan (NWFP) bt Haider Jamil (Punjab) 7-9, 6-9, 10-8, 9-5, 9-2. Bilal Zaman bt Farzan Rashid 10-9, 9-7, 6-9, 9-8.
CAA bt Sindh 3-0: Majid Khan bt Azam Khan 9-3, 6-9, 9-3, 9-4. Basit Ashfaq bt Shahroz Khan 9-1, 9-4, 9-5. Aqib Hanif bt Jehanzeb 9-6, 9-5, 9-7.
Mari Gas bt PAF 2-1: Safeer Khan (PAF) bt Farrukh Zaman (Mari Gas) 9-4, 9-2, 10-8. Khayal Muhammad bt Farhan Mehboob 9-3, 9-6, 9-3. Shahnawaz bt Naveed Atlas 6-9, 5-9, 9-7, 9-5, 9-2.
Railways bt Navy 3-0: Faisal bt Rehmatullah 9-1, 9-6, 5-9, 9-7, 9-3. Adeel Hanif bt Shakeel 9-2, 9-1, 9-1. Salahuddin bt Saif-ur-Rehman 9-0, 9-0, 9-1.
EVENING SESSION.
Army beat UGC 3-0: Zubair Ali 9-0, 9-1, 9-0. Khalid Atlas bt Zahid Nasir 9-0, 9-1, 9-0. Asghar Khan bt Ali Hassan Ayub 9-0, 9-0, 9-0.
PIA beat NWFP 3-0: Mansoor Zaman bt Easeem Shad 9-0, 9-0 w/over. Shahid Zaman bt Riaz Hussain 4-9, 9-2, 9-6, 9-3. Arshad iqbal Burki bt Bilal Zaman 9-2 (retired hurt).
|
|
|
|
