KARACHI: Pakistan boys have a winning start in the team events while their girls counterparts suffered defeats on the opening day of the four-nation South Asian Cadet and Junior Table Tennis Championships which commenced at the multi-purpose gymnasium of Habib Public School on Friday.

According to the draws, Sri Lanka has been top seeded in all the four team categories — cadet boys and girls and junior boys and girls. They are followed by Pakistan, Nepal and Maldives respectively. The events are being played on single league.

The Pakistan junior boys conjured up back-to-back victories to stay in contention for the gold medal. They overcome fighting Nepal 3-2 in the opener and then blanked Maldives straight 3-0. The hosts take on Sri Lanka on Saturday to determine the gold and silver medals.

On the other hand, top seed Lanka whipped Maldives and Nepal 3-0 respectively.

As regards cadet boys, Pakistan outplayed Nepal straight 3-0 and also coasted to 3-0 victory over Maldives at the time of filing this report to set a date with Sri Lanka.

As far as girls events are concerned, Pakistan crashed out of the gold medal race by suffering astonishing defeats.

In juniors, Pakistan suffered straight loss at the hands of Nepal and went down 2-3 fighting to Maldives.

In cadet, Pakistan lost to Nepal and Maldives by 2-3 respectively in the fully stretched encounters.

Earlier, Sindh Minister for Finance, Murad Ali Shah, who graced the occasion, declared the three-day championships open.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister expressed his optimism that all the foreign players will enjoy their stay in Pakistan.

Earlier, Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF) president, S. M. Sibtain, welcomed the players and officials who have assembled here for the event.

The opening ceremony was largely attended by former players and officials including the organising secretary Khawaja Hassan Wadood, vice-president PTTF Azizullah Khan, Jawaid Hayat, Sohail Hayat, Arif Khan, Arif Nakhuda, Rubina Arif, Seema Kaleem, Nazo Tahir, Tauqir Mohajir, Shahid Baloch, Khalid Mahmood, Saleem Ahmed, Mohammad Tahir, Azher Khurshid and Waliullah Malik.

Team events:

Junior boys:

Sri Lanka bt Maldives 3-0 (Krishan Wikkramarathna bt Mohammad Ahmed Zaidhaan 11-4, 11-3, 11-4; Imeshudaya Ranasingha bt Shafeeq Nibraas 11-3, 11-7, 11-4; Supuna P. Warusawithana bt Mohammad Shaffan Ismail 11-4, 11-5, 11-4).

Pakistan bt Nepal 3-2 (Syed Obaid Shah bt Subodh Limbu 11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 14-12; Abid Iqbal lost Narayan Ghimire 10-12, 13-11, 5-11, 6-11; Mustafa Ali bt Bipul Maharjan 11-8, 11-5, 11-9; Syed Obaid Shah lost to Narayan Ghimire 11-9, 3-11, 14-12, 7-11, 10-12; Abid Iqbal bt Subodh Limbu 11-9, 13-11, 6-11, 14-12).

Sri Lanka bt Nepal 3-0 (Krishan Wikkramarathna bt Narayan Ghimire 5-11, 11-5, 13-11, 11-6; Imeshudaya Ranasingha bt Bipul Maharjan 11-6, 11-7, 10-12, 11-4; Supuna P. Warusawithana bt Ghana Shyabn Sharma Aryal 11-6, 11-3, 11-3).

Pakistan bt Maldives 3-0 (Syed Obaid Shah bt Mohammad Shaffan Ismail 11-8, 11-4, 11-8; Fahad Khawaja bt Shafeeq Nibraas 11-6, 11-4, 11-6; Mustafa Ali bt Mohammad Ahmed Zaidhaan 11-7, 11-5, 11-5).

Junior girls:

Sri Lanka bt Maldives 3-0 (Hansani Plumila bt Mauz Aminath Malysha 11-7, 11-5, 11-2; H. Chamathsara D.Fernando bt Nazim Aishath Rafa 11-2, -5, 11-8; S. T. Muthumali Priyadarshani bt Ismail Laisn Fathulla 11-5, 11-5, 11-3).

Nepal bt Pakistan 3-0 (Sikka Surwal Shrestha bt Kainat 11-8, 4-11, 11-9, 11-9; Sonu Thapa Magar bt Hareem Anwar 11-4, 11-9, 11-9; Lasta Maharjan bt Nirma Rehman 11-8, 11-8, 12-14, 11-8).

Sri Lanka bt Nepal 3-0 (H. Chamathsara D.Fernando bt Sonu Thapa Magar 11-5, 11-7, 14-12; S. T. Muthumali Priyadarshani bt Sikka Surwal Shreshta 11-9, 11-2, 11-7; Sheshala Bandara bt Sujata Duwal 11-4, 11-7, 11-4).

Maldives bt Pakistan 3-2 (Ismail Laisn Fathulla bt Kainat 11-4, 11-8, 11-5; Nazim Aishath Rafa bt Hareem Anwar 11-5, 11-2, 11-8; Mauz Aminath Malysha lost to Iqra Rehman 6-11, 13-15, 8-11; Nazim Aishath Rafa lost to Kainat 3-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 10-12; Ismail Laisn Fathulla bt Hareem Anwar 11-3, 11-3, 11-4).

Cadet boys:

Pakistan bt Nepal 3-0 (Faizan Zahoor bt Sanyog Kapali 11-9, 11-7, 14-12; Ummam Khowaja bt Ritiz Joshi 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7; Faizan and Ummam bt Sanyog and Ritiz 11-5, 11-6, 11-2).

Sri Lanka bt Nepal 3-0 (Harshana Karadawela bt Ritiz Joshi 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 8-11, 11-9; Helitha Hendavitharana bt Sanyog Kapali 11-8, 11-3, 11-8; Harshana and Thenuka bt Ritiz and Alex 11-8, 11-7, 11-9).

Cadet girls:

Sri Lanka bt Maldives 3-0 (S.H.S.Imasha De Silva bt Nazim Aishath Rafa 11-7, 9-11, 12-10, 11-9; Thanushi N. Rodrigo bt Ismail Laisa Fathulla 11-6, 11-5, 11-3; Thanushi and Nathasha bt Rafa and Laisa 11-4, 11-8, 11-8).

Nepal bt Pakistan 3-2 (Anju Suwal lost to Fatima Khan 11-6, 8-11, 5-11, 4-11; Diksha Dahal bt Maheen Shiraz 11-8, 11-8, 11-5; Diksha and Anju bt Fatima and Maheen 6-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 15-13; Diksha Dahal lost to Fatima Khan 9-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7, 8-11; Anju Suwal bt Maheen Shiraz 11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 11-6).

Sri Lanka bt Nepal 3-0 (Thansuhi N. Rodrigo bt Anju Suwal 11-5, 11-3, 11-3; S. H. S. Imasha De Silva bt Diksha Dahal 11-6, 11-9, 11-8; Thanushi and Nathasha bt Diksha and Magar 11-5, 11-4, 11-4).

Saturday’s fixtures:

Matches start at 9.30am.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2016