05 March 2005	Saturday	23 Muharram 1426

ISLAMABAD, March 4: Pakistan's fast-improving Shahid Zaman stormed back from a game down to overpower Englishman Joey Barrington 3-1 and capture the COAS international squash title at Mushaf Squash Complex on Friday.

Shahid, now eyeing a top five world ranking, was shoddy in the first game but regained his touch in time to register a 3-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 victory in 44 minutes in the final of the US $25,000 championship.

"If I win the Bermuda Open in Bermuda in a few weeks from now, I will be amongst the top five of the world," the Quetta-born Shahid said after the pulsating victory over Barrington who was stopped short of repeating his giant-killing feats in his earlier two clashes of the tournament.

The Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Tanvir Mehmood Ahmed, was the chief guest at the final and gave away the prizes. "Joey relied on basics at the outset of the tournament, resulting in his victory in the first game," said a jubilant Shahid after the final.

"But I concentrated on my strokes with an aggressive approach from then on to snuff out his challenge," said the tournament seed no.3 Shahid who is currently ranked the world no.18 but is likely to move up to no.12 spot with this title victory.

"I look forward to $120,000 Bermuda Open in which the leading players of the world will compete," he said. "That tournament will be crucial in my ambition to become the world champion."

Pakistan has not produced a world champion since Jansher Khan and Jahangir Khan of the 80s and 90s. after winning the first game, Barrington was seen mostly asking for "lets" from referee Fahim Gul instead of concentrating on his play.

"Joey was playing Shahid tight balls in the corners in the first game," said national coach Jamshed Gul. "I asked Shahid to change his tactics and play his shots more aggressively nearer to the wall," Jamshed said.

"The Englishman had no answer to Shahid's aggresive approach," said Jamshed of 24-year-old Barrington, the tournament seed no.6, who was expected to give Shahid a tough fight after eliminating seed no.4 Mansoor Zaman of Pakistan in the semi-finals and seed no.2 and world no.17 Azlan Iskander of Malaysia in the quarterfinals.

For his part, Shahid had knocked out the defending champion and top-seed Adrian Grant in the semi-finals. The victory in the Chief of Army Staff International Squash Championship was Shahid Zaman's first since winning the $ 12,000 tournament in Lahore last year, though he was runners-up in CNS Open in Karachi and also played the quarterfinal of Pakistan Open in Islamabad.

"Should Shahid move into the top eight, he will have his path cut out for becoming the world champion because he will not have to face tough opponents every time," said Jamshed of the 22-year-old Shahid. -APP