PESHAWAR: Top seed Muqaddas Ashraf easily advanced to the next round on Thursday after recording victory against Maira Khan in the first round of the National Red Crescent Women Squash Championship here at the PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex.

Punjab’s Muqaddas, who recently represented Pakistan in international tournaments staged in the United Kingdom, faced almost no resistance as she outclassed Maira of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 11-9, 11-2, 11-7.

Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Muqaddas lauded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Squash Association for organising two tournaments within two months which she said helped the women players keep themselves fit for international events.

In the other first-round matches, Hira Aqeel of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa defeated Punjab’s Sibgha Arshad 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7.

Noor-ul-Ain Ejaz of SNGPL routed Hina of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 11-2, 11-0, 11-2 while current U-19 champion from Pakistan Wapda outgunned Zohra of KP 11-3, 11-2, 11-7.

International player Saima Shoukat of Wapda defeated Kulsoom of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 11-4, 11-3, 11-2; Nimra Aqeel of KP crushed Kainat Khan of Pakistan Army 11-3, 11-4, 11-3.

Noor-ul-Huda of SNGPL defeated Tayyaba Abbas of Punjab 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 and second seed Rushna Mehboob of ZTBL outplayed Sana Sher Bahadar 11-4, 11-3, 11-9.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2019