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GUANGZHOU: Pakistan denied Malaysia a squash gold-medal sweep at the Asian Games Thursday by beating them 2-0 in the men’s team final.
Farhan Mehboob breezed past Ong Beng Hee, who won the 2002 and 2006 Asian Games individual men’s titles, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 in the first match.
Aamir Atlas Khan whipped Mohamad Azlan Iskandar 14-12, 15-13, 11-4, avenging his 3-0 defeat to the Malaysian in the men’s individual final at the Guangzhou Games.
It was only Pakistan's second gold of these Games after the women's cricket title. It was also their second squash gold since the racquet sport made its Asiad debut in 1998 when they won the men's singles.
“I feel really fantastic because I defeated Iskandar,” the 20-year-old Khan said after whipping his Malaysian rival 14-12, 15-13, 11-4.
“After losing to Iskandar in the singles, I was mentally down and thought to myself that we could not get to the gold medal.
“My coach taught me a few things to prepare myself mentally and physically. I don't want to mention them because this is confidential.”
The squash team events were held for the first time at the Guangzhou Games.
In the first men's match against Malaysia, Farhan Mehboob breezed past 2002 and 2006 singles champion Ong Beng Hee 11-4, 11-4, 11-7.
Khan then went tit-for-tat against Iskandar to take the first two sets 14-12, 15-13. He took the third set 11-4 when a visibly tired Iskandar dropped his racquet in a return effort.
