PESHAWAR: Noor Zaman, Mohammad Hammad, Humam Ahmed, Ibrahim Khan and Laiba Ijaz secured titles in the Independence Day Falak Sher Junior Age Group Squash Championship at PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex here on Wednesday.

Top seed Noor won the under-15 final against Khushal Riaz in a five-game duel, lasting 52 minutes. The scores were 12-10, 19-17, 11-13, 10-12, 11-9.

Noor won the opening two games before Khushal bounced back to clinch the next two to take final into the decider, which proved the most thrilling game as the score-line changed several times. Remarkably the final set was also tied at 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, 12-12, 13-13, 14-14, 15-15, 16-16 and 17-17 before Noor finally won the battle at 19-17.

In the under-13 category, top seed Mohammad Ammad defeated Huzaifa Zahid in straight games, 11-9, 11-9, 12-10.

In the under-11 final Pakistan No 1 Humam Ahmad trounced Abdullah Nawaz easily 11-5, 11-7 and 11-6. In the under-9 category Ibrahim dropped the first game before defeating Ali 10-12, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7.

In the girls under-15 final Laiba Ijaz defeated Nimra Aqeel by three games to nil. The scores being 11-6, 11-6, 11-7.

Director Sports of PAF Sports Control Board Committee, Group Captain Amir Nawaz, who graced the occasional as the chief guest, distributed trophies and cash prizes.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2017