KARACHI, Sept. 25: The main round of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Squash Championship begin at the Roshan Khan/Jahangir Khan Squash Complex on Tuesday.

Shahid Zaman spearheads Pakistan's challenge alongwith cousin Mansoor Zaman who is placed 31 in Professional Squash Association rankings.

Other local players who gained a direct entry into the main draw of the 16-player championship include Khayal Muhammad, Arshad Iqbal Burki and wild-card entry Farhan Mehboob who is the nephew of former world champion, Jansher Khan.

Adrian Grant of England, ranked 17th in PSA rankings, is top-seeded for the US$25,000 competition while Shahid Zaman is seeded number two and Mansoor Zaman three while Liam Kenny of Ireland is seeded fourth.

Grant will take on qualifier Umar Moosad while Shahid Zaman faces Amjad Khan in their opening matches which starts at 12.00pm.

Umar Moosad and Anwar Ali Reda, both from Egypt, also qualified for the main rounds by beating Majid Khan and Safeerullah of Pakistan respectively in the qualifying rounds.

Also advancing were Aamir Atlas who beat Yasir Butt and Amjad Khan who crushed Khawaja Adil Maqbool.—APP