June 08, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 03, 1429

ISLAMABAD, June 7: Top seed Aamir Atlas Khan overcame compatriot Yasir Butt to qualify for semi-finals of the 19th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) International Squash Championship at the Mushaf Squash Complex here on Saturday.

Others who also reached the last four were Farhan Mehboob, Mansoor Zaman and Aaron Frankcomb.

Aamir, world No.32, took 71 minutes before overcoming fifth-seed world No.48 Yasir 3-2. He will now take on world No.50 Australia’s Aaron Frankcomb in the first semi-final.

Frankcomb dispatched Czech Republic’s Jan Koukal 3-1 in the 59-minute quarter-final of the championship.

Aamir Atlas told Dawn it was a game of stamina against Yasir as the match at one stage tied at 2-2.

He added he seized control of the fifth game right from the start and won it.

Aamir, defending champion of the previous year’s championship, said he would show his best in the semi-final against Frankcomb.

In other quarter-finals, Pakistan’s Farhan Mehboob walloped Mohammad El Shorbagy of Egypt 3-0 in only 26 minutes.

Pakistan’s Mansoor Zaman, ranked 33 in the world, defeated Ali Anwar Reda of Egypt in straight games.

Farhan Mehboob will face Mansoor Zaman in the second semi-final.

The semi-finals will be played on Sunday.

Results (quarter-finals):

Aamir Atlas Khan (Pakistan) bt Yasir Butt (Pakistan) 11-7, 6-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7; Aaron Frankcomb (Australia) bt Jan Koukal (Czech Republic) 5-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9; Farhan Mehboob (Pakistan) bt Mohammad El Shorbagy (Egypt) 11-7, 11-5, 11-3; Mansoor Zaman (Pakistan) bt M. Ali Anwar Reda (Egypt) 11-3, 11-2, 11-3.