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TAIF, April 17: Pakistan thrashed Saudi Arabia 2-0 to move into the final of the team event on Saturday in the first Islamic Games tennis while in Jeddah its hope for a semifinal slot in volleyball dimmed after it lost 3-1 to Egypt.
In the first match, Aqeel Khan put Pakistan 1-0 up beating Fahad Saad of Saudi Arabia after facing a tough fight in the first set. The score was 7-6 (2), 6-3. Aisamul-Haq beat Bader Muquel 6-1,6-4. Pakistan meet either Indonesia or Algeria in the final.
VOLLEYBALL: In volleyball, Pakistan played well but the Egyptians were better in blocking and smashing. The Pakistanis failed to gain points while some controversial decisions by the Syrian referee went in favour of the Egyptians.
In the fourth set Pakistan skipper threatened to take his team out. In the first set Pakistan matched the rivals at 13-13 but therafter Egyppt surged ahead 20-14 However, Pakistan did not give up the fight and recovered to equalize 20-20 and again at 22-22. But the Egyptians earned two winners to go 1-0 up.
Pakistan kept their hopes alive by levelling the score 1-1. They led from start to finish Naseer Ahmed and Kashif both exhibited fine smashing to shatter the defence of the rivals. The Egyptians could only come near 9-7 down as Pakistan gained point after point to win.
The Egyptians played the remaining two sets in a do-or-die spirit. Pakistan’s complacency cost it to lose the third set. In the important fourth set, Pakistan tried hard to make match but after holding 12-12 , 16-16, 20-20 and last time at 23-23 they lost the three crucial points. At 23-23 Sanaullah hit the service into the net as Egypt went ahead 24-23 and grabbed the winner to seal victory.
Assistant coach Ashraf, however, said that he was hopeful of a victory against Algeria in the last match.
BASKETBALL: In the play-off match Pakistan beat Palestine 71-66.
