28 August 2004	Saturday	11 Rajab 1425

ISLAMABAD, Aug 27: Defending champions Pakistan continued their majestic march in the World Junior Squash Championship walloping Kuwait 3-0 on Friday to check into the final where their opponents on Saturday will be second seeds Egypt.

The Egyptians spearheaded by the talented Ramy Ashour, winner of last week's individual event, routed England, also by a 3-0 margin to set up a potentially engrossing decider with the host nation.

Pakistan, the top seeds for the team event, advanced through the fine work of their trio of Khalid Atlas, Yasir Butt and Farhan Mahboob, all of whom won their matches with ease in the first semifinal at the new Mushaf Squash Complex.

After Khalid gave his side a good start by defeating Ali Badar Al Ramzi 9-4, 9-2, 9-5, Yasir and Farhan scored quick victories to see their side through.

Yasir, the losing finalist of the individual event of this championship, dropped only three points on way to a 9-1, 9-0, 9-2 win over Sulaiman Al Kahmees while Farhan, after a close first game, beat Saleem F. Mohd 9-7, 9-0.

Kuwait were unable to put up the kind of show that had seen them beat Germany in Thursday's quarterfinals and their semi-final was almost one-sided. Pakistan coach Rehmat Khan, on verge of completing a creditable double, was delighted with his team's showing and predicted a hard-fought final.

"The boys have done really well and especially Yasir did a good job," he said. "I think the final now is going to be quite exciting and tough all the same; it will be our real test."

"I have high regard for the Egyptians and indeed they are going to be no pushovers with danger man Ramy Ashour in top form," said Rehmat, under whom Pakistan had claimed the team crown for the first time in over two decades in Chennai in 2002.

In the second semi-final Ashour executed his shots intelligently to create all sorts of problems for Chris Simpson whom he downed 9-3, 9-2, 9-6 to give his team just the kind of start that was needed.

Although Simpson did work hard, particularly in the third game, he found the newly crowned junior champion to be a tough customer. But Ahmed El Swaify had to literally sweat in his match with Tom Richards before scraping through in a five-game marathon 0-9, 9-0, 7-9, 9-7, 9-3.

Equally matched, both players were on court for more than 80 minutes and played aggressively from start to finish in what was indeed a nail-biting encounter. Later, Mahmoud Adel dropped a game against James Wright but recovered to post a 5-9, 9-5, 10-8 triumph to complete a well-deserved success for Egypt.

RESULTS (SEMIFINALS):

Pakistan bt Kuwait 3-0 (Khalid Atlas bt Ali Badar Al Ramzi 9-4, 9-2, 9-5, Yasir Butt bt Sulaiman Al Khamees 9-1, 9-0, 9-2, Farhan Mahboob bt Saleem F. Mohammad 9-7, 9-0);

Egypt bt England 3-0 (Ramy Ashour bt Chris Simpson 9-3, 9-2, 9-6, Ahmed El Swaify bt Tom Richards 0-9, 9-0, 7-9, 9-7, 9-3, Mahmoud Adel bt James Wright 5-9, 9-5, 10-8.

FINAL (SATURDAY): Pakistan v Egypt at 4pm.