ISLAMABAD: Six Pakistani and two foreign players reached the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) International Squash Championship quarter-finals here at the Mushaf Ali Mir Squash Complex on Monday.

Pakistan’s fast improving Abbas Shoukat caused a major upset by defeating Kuwait’s world No.79 player Ammaral Tamimi 11-2, 13-11, 11-6.

Danish Atlas Khan of Pakistan overcame Austria’s Aqeel Rehman 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 while another home player Ammad Fareed Khan beat Peter Creed of Wales 11-7, 12-7, 12-10, 11-5 to make the last-eight phase.

However, world No.103 Farhan Mahboob, a wild card entry from Pakistan, could not come up to the expectations of his fans, and was overwhelmed by compatriot Farhan Zaman in a well-contested five-game match.

In an epic battle lasting 63 minutes, world No.63 Farhan Mahboob led in the first two games but Farhan Zaman made a good comeback to take the third and fourth games.

In the deciding game, Farhan Zaman showing powerful strokes smothered Farhan Mahboob to finally come out as winner 11-9, 11-6, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8.

In the meantime, two foreigners — Egypt’s Omar Abdel Meguid and Qatar’s Abdullah Mohd Al-Tamimi —cruised into the quarter-finals.

World No.28 Meguid outclassed Tayyab Aslam of Pakistan 11-5, 11-1, 11-9 while Al-Tamimi easily defeated Mohammad Saqib Yousuf, another Pakistani, 11-8, 11-2, 11-9.

Two other Pakistanis — Amir Atlas Khan and Nasir Iqbal — also reached the quarter-finals.

Compatriot Shahjahan Khan gave tough time to Amir Atlas in the five-game match but the 75-minute clash was eventually won by Aamir 13-15, 11-9, 11-13, 11-9, 11-6.

Nasir took just 25 minutes in taming his countryman Khawaja Adil Maqbool 13-11, 11-5, 11-7.

Results:

Omar Abdel Meguid (Egypt) bt Tayyab Aslam (Pakistan) 11-5, 11-1, 11-9 (36min); Ammad Fareed Khan (Pakistan) bt Peter Creed (Wales) 11-7, 12-14, 12-10, 11-5 (56min); Abdullah Mohd Al-Tamimi (Qatar) bt Mohammad Saqib Yousuf (Pakistan) 11-8, 11-2, 11-9 (29min); Farhan Zaman (Pakistan) bt Farhan Mahboob (Pakistan) 11-9, 11-6, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8 (63min); Danish Atlas Khan (Pakistan) bt Aqeel Rehman (Austria) 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 (35min); Abbas Shoukat (Pakistan) bt Ammar Al-Tamimi (Kuwait) 11-2, 13-11, 11-6 (39min); Aamir Atlas Khan (Pakistan) bt Shahjahan Khan (Pakistan) 13-15, 11-9, 11-13, 11-9, 11-6 (75min); Nasir Iqbal (Pakistan) bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool (Pakistan) 13-11, 11-5, 11-7 (25min).

Published in Dawn, October 21st , 2014