KARACHI, July 20: Promising youngster Aamir Atlas Khan kept Pakistan's hopes alive by reaching semi-finals of the World Junior Men's squash championship as two other players – Yasir Butt and Farhan Mehboob – lost their respective quarter-finals at Palmerston North, New Zealand on Thursday.

Aamir defeated Anwer Rede of Egypt in straight sets. He will now face another Egyptian Omar Mossad in the semi-final on Friday.

Earlier, Pakistan's campaign in the competition received severe blow when Yasir Butt and Farhan Mehboob failed to find places in the semi-finals.

Yasir was beaten by Omar Mossad while top seed Egyptian Ramay Ashour proved too good for Farhan in another quarter-final.

Results:

Aamir Atlas bt Ali Anwar Rede 9-2, 9-4, 9-2; Omar Mossad bt Yasir Butt 9-4, 9-4, 10-8; Raamay Ashour bt Farhan Mehboob 9-3, 10-8, 9-2; Tarek Momin (Egypt) bt Simon Rosener (Germany) 9-4, 10-8, 7-9, 10-9.—PPI