ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s young Israr Ahmed after a close fight overcame Falah Mohammad of Kuwait on the opening day of the 21st Asian Individual Squash Championship here at the Mushaf Squash Complex on Wednesday.

Besides Israr, Pakistan players Farhan Zaman, Amaad Fareed and Nasir Iqbal after defeating their respective opponents moved into the second round.

Compatriots Mohammad Asim and Tayyab Aslam received byes to move into the next round of the championship being organised by the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF).

The men’s event has a 32-player draw while the women’s event has 16 competitors. Apart from Pakistan, international players, officials and referees from Hong Kong, Iran, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore and Sri Lanka are participating in the championship that concludes on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Israr after losing the first game 11-4, made an impressive comeback to claim the second game 11-8. However, the Kuwait player managed to win the next game 11-8 to take a 2-1 lead.

The Pakistan player won the next two games 16-14, 11-9 to win the match lasting 45 minutes.

Meanwhile in women’s section, world number 41 and top seed Liu Tsz Ling of Hong Kong took only 19 minutes to crush Pakistan’s Noor-ul-Huda 11-4, 11-3, 11-3.

World number 18 Ng Eain Yow of Malaysia is the men’s top seed followed by world number 30 Abdullah Mohammed EA Al-Tamimi from Qatar.

Earlier on Wednesday, the opening ceremony of the championship was held in which Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Syed Noman was the chief guest.

Results (first round):

Men’s: Ng Eain Yow (Malaysia) got bye; Farhan Zaman (Pakistan) bt Revindu Laksiri (Sri Lanka) 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (15min); Mohammad Syafiq bin Mohammad Kamal (Malaysia) bt Ammar Al-Tamimi (Kuwait) 9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-4 (52min); Muhammad Asim Khan (Pakistan) got bye; Syed Azlan Iqbal S Amjad (Qatar) got bye; Lau Tsz Kwan (Hong Kong) bt Shariff Hakeem (SRI) -- walkover; Tayyab Aslam (Pakistan) got bye; Yuen Chee Wern (Malaysia) got bye; Lee Ho Yin (Hong Kong) bt Hussain Alzattari (Kuwait) 11-6, 11-6, 11-2 (16min); Mohammad

Addeen Idrakie Bin Bahtiar (Malaysia) bt Shamil Wakeel (Sri Lanka) 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 (29min); Yip Tsz Fung (Hong Kong) got bye; Leung Chi Hin Henry (Hong Kong) got bye; Amaad Fareed (Pakistan) bt Mohammad Alkhanfar (Kuwait) 12-10, 11-8, 11-8 (39min); Nasir Iqbal (Pakistan) bt Methmal Wood (Sri Lanka) 11-6, 11-8, 11-2 (19min); Abdullah Mohammed Al-Tamimi (Qatar) got bye

Women’s: Liu Tsz Ling (Hong Kong) bt Noor-ul-Huda (Pakistan) 11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (19min); Noor Ainaaa Amani Binti Amapandi (Malaysia) bt Zynab Khan (Pakistan) 11-6, 11-2, 11-0 (11min); Aifa Binti Azman (Malaysia) bt Fathoum Issadeen (Sri Lanka) 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 (12min); Tong Tsz Wing (Hong Kong) bt Saima Shaukat (Pakistan) 11-5, 11-3, 11-0 (17min).

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2021