ISLAMABAD, March 20: China made a clean-sweep of both men’s and women’s matches in the first tie of the table tennis series against Pakistan at Hamidi Hall, Pakistan Sports Complex, on Thursday.

Three singles matches each for both men and women were played were won by Chinese.

Acting Chinese ambassador, Song Deheng, was the chief guest at the first tie and gave away the prizes.

The two teams will play the next tie at Lahore on Friday and possibly also at Peshawar a few days later.

Pakistan had invited the table tennis team of China, the world no.1 nation in this sport, as part of preparations for the March 29-April 7 South Asian (SAF) Games in the Pakistan capital.

Ghazala Roohi among ladies and Kashif Razzaq among boys put up a stiff fight against the Chinese.

In fact, Kashif Razzaq fought neck-to-neck against fellow left-hander Zhang Shao Fei before losing the thrilling encounter by just three points and that too in the last game of the best-of-five match.

Zhang Shao Feo won 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8 against Kashif Razzaq in the last match of the day.

Earlier, in the first men’s match, Jie Jiang Wei beat top-seed Pakistani Farjad Saif 11-5, 12-10, 5-11, 11-10 while Gao Ning had the better of Asim Qureshi 11-5, 11-3, 11-8.

Ghazala Roohi went down fighting to Yao Yao who won 9-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-9 in the first ladies singles.

In the other ladies matches, Zhang Nan beat Shabnam Bilal 11-7, 11-8, 11-3 while Wu Xiajing defeated Tayyaba Gill 11-9, 11-8, 11-8.—APP