Three Pakistani players clinch first-round matches

LAHORE: Three Pakistan players won their first-round matches on the first day of the International Men Squash Championship here at the Punjab Squash Complex on Saturday.

Amaad Fareed, Syed Ali Mujtaba Bukhari and Farhan Zaman are the three Pakistanis, who registered victories. Whereas five other Pakistani players — Khawaja Adil Maqbool, Israr Ahmad, Zeeshan Khan, Mohammad Uzair and Mohammad Hassaan Raza — lost their respective matches.

Amaad shocked Henry Leung of Hong Kong 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 in a 32-minute battle.

Farhan took just 25 minutes to outlast Zeeshan Khan 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7 while Mujtaba Bukhari was stretched to full distance before he overcame Israr Ahmed 10-12, 3-11, 11-3, 11-2, 12-10 in a 51-minute tussle.

TSZ Kwan Lau of Hong Kong outlasted Iran’s Navid Maleksabet 11-6, 11-7, 11-5 in a 21-minute battle while Sean Conroy of Ireland beat Pakistan’s Khawaja Adil Maqbool 11-7, 11-5, 13-11 in 22 minutes.

In other matches held on Saturday, Hong Kong’s Chi Him Wong took 34 minutes to oust wildcard entrant Mohammad Uzair of Pakistan 13-11, 11-2, 11-4; Malaysia’s Addeen Idrakie tamed local player Mohammad Hassaan Raza 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 in just 17 minutes and Hong Kong’s Tang Ming Hong edged out England’s Robert Downer 11-6, 8-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5 in 52 minutes.

The women’s competition — featuring players from five countries — is also part of this championship and its first round will be held on Sunday.— Sports Reporter

Sisters Saman, Hoor storm into under-15 TT semis

KARACHI: Saman Fawwad and her sibling Hoor cruised into girls’ under-15 semi-final league by winning their second round fixtures in the fourth Sindh Sports Board (SSB) ranking table tennis tournament which commenced at the SSB Sports Complex Nazimabad the other day.

After getting first round bye, 11-year-old Saman carved out 11-9, 11-5, 10-12, 11-9 victory over Bushra Anwer while nine-year-old Hoor gets the better of Haiqa Hassan straight 11-6, 11-9, 11-3.

They were joined by Aamara Ishtiaq and Maria Tazeem in the last four league by winning their matches.

Results:

Girls U-15 first round: Sarah Faisal bt Misbah Anjum 12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 13-11; Haiqa Hassan bt Riffat Khan 11-8, 11-9, 11-6; Bushra Anwer bt Umme Habiba 11-4, 11-3, 11-4; Alizeh Aziz bt Mariam Bibi 11-9, 14-12, 12-10.

Second round: Aamara Ishtiaq bt Alizeh Aziz 6-11, 11-2, 11-3, 11-4; Maria Tazeem bt Sarah Faisal 11-4, 11-4, 11-2; Hoor Fawwad bt Haiqa Hassan 11-6, 11-9, 11-3; Saman Fawwad bt Bushra Anwer 11-9, 11-5, 10-12, 11-9.

Girls U-18 first round: Misbah Anjum bt Sarah Faisal 8-11, 11-7, 11-4, 12-10; Aisha Zafar bt Marium Bibi 11-6, 11-6, 11-3; Saman Fawwad bt Umme Habiba 11-6, 2-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-6; Bushra Anwer bt Sania Marchant 11-4, 10-12, 11-1, 11-6; Hoor Fawwad bt Farah Deba 11-5, 11-4, 11-6; Maria Tazeem bt Haiqa Hassan 11-6, 11-5, 11-8.

Second round: Hareem Anwer bt Misbah Anjum 11-4, 11-3, 11-9; Aisha Zafar bt Saman Fawwad 11-8, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6; Maria Tazeem bt Hoor Fawwad 13-11, 11-9, 11-9; Bushra Anwer bt Aamara Ishtiaq 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 11-6.

Boys U-15 first round: Asad Sajwani bt Abdullah Asif 11-0, 11-3, 11-3; Mazahir Hussain bt Shayan 11-3, 11-8, 11-2; Afnan bt Ahmed Ghayas 11-8, 11-3, 11-2; Javaid Qazi bt Ahmer 11-5, 11-7, 11-6; Saeed Haider bt Mohammad Furqan 11-8, 11-4, 11-6; Mohib Haider bt Shariq Aziz 11-5, 11-7, 11-4; Wahab bt Hamza 11-2, 11-4, 11-3; Ali Murtuza bt Ali Raza 11-9, 11-1, 11-3.

Boys U-18 first round: Anas Arshad bt Ahmed 11-5, 11-8, 11-0; Ayan Khalid bt Sheer Zaib 4-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6; Mohammad Hassan bt Shah Noor 11-1, 11-1, 11-0; Mohammad Danial bt Ahmed Ghayas 11-7, 11-8, 11-6; Fahad Shahzad bt Hussain Zubair 11-1, 11-2, 11-6; Mohammad Shahzaib bt Javaid Qazi 11-6, 11-9, 11-7; Jhanzaib Saeed bt Ehsan 18-16, 6-11, 11-9, 12-10.

Women’s singles first round: Hareem Anwer bt Sobia Aleem 11-4, 11-7, 11-2; Qurat Sakina bt Sarah Faisal 11-6, 11-4, 11-5; Aatiqa Khan bt Sania Marchant 11-5, 11-3, 11-4; Saman Fawwad bt Farah Deba 11-5, 11-8, 11-7; Noreen Farhan bt Samar Kashif 11-8, 11-7, 11-6; Maria Tazeem bt Bushar Anwer 8-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-9; Hoor Fawwad bt Umme Habiba 11-8, 11-6, 11-6; Aisha Zafar bt iqra Saeed (walkover).—Sports Reporter

Omar Associates launch women softball team

KARACHI: KCCA president and sports promoter Nadeem Omar on Friday announced to establish Omar Associates women softball team that will be competing in major city and national level events.

Nadeem said that the game of softball has been prospering in the country especially among women and he is keen to contribute to the sport by launching their team in national circuit.

“Looking at the passion of women for softball, we are becoming the first private sector company to establish our own team hoping that others would also come forward to play their part,” Nadeem, , who is head of Omar Associates, said while speaking at a reception hosted in honour of Karachi’s victorious team which recently won the NSA Championship at Khairpur.

Nadeem further said that they will be picking softball players from National Softball Academy and hoped that players from his team will go all the way up to become a part of Pakistan softball team and feature in international events.

Secretary Sindh Sports and Youth Affair Haroon Ahmed Khan, Softball Federation of Pakistan (SFP) Secretary Asif Azeem, Sindh Olympic Association (SOA) Vice President Syed Waseem Hashmi, SOA Secretary Ahmed Ali Rajput, NSA Chairperson Tehmina Asif, Director Academy Mohammad Nasir, Director Development Murad Hussain and SSA Secretary Zeeshan Merchant were also present on the occasion.

Haroon said that only women could play pivotal role in bringing a real change and added that other private companies should also come forward and follow in the footsteps of Omar Associates. NSA chairperson Tehmina on the occasion said that it is a historic day for women softball in the country and added that it has been a huge success for NSA which was only been established five months ago.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2018