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PESHAWAR: Top seed and Asian Games gold and silver medalist Aamir Atlas Khan got off to a winning start when he edged past Hamza Bokhari of Punjab in a thrilling five-set battle in the squash event of 31st National Games which got under way at PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex on Sunday.
Sports Minister Balochistan was the chief guest for the occasion and formally inaugurated the event with players from all affiliated units of the Pakistan Olympic Association taking part in the ceremony. The spectators were then treated to a befitting opening match in the Khan vs Bokhari battle.
Khan faced tough resistance against from a spirited Bokhari as the match lasted 54 minutes. Along the way there some long rallies and deft touches and the Pakistan’s number one Khan was stretched to the limit by the relatively unknown player from Punjab.
Khan got the first two sets very easily by 11-7 and 11-6 but Bokhari staged a strong come back by taking the third and fourth sets at 10-12, and 8-11. It was the fifth and decisive set in which Khan used all his international experience and exhibited some classic smashes and volleys. He marched to victory with a score of 12-10.
In the other matches of the pre quarter-finals, Sheikh Saqib of HEC beat Mujahid of Pakistan Army by 3-0, the score was 11-3, 11-8 and 11-9.
Waqar Mehboob of PAF beat Azam Khan of Sindh by 3-1, a score 3-11, 11-9, 11-6 and 11-7 while Safeer Ullah, also of PAF, beat Saifullah of Balochistan 3-0, with a score of 11-4, 11-7, 11-8.
Farhan Zaman of PAF beat Murtaza of Balochistan with a score of 11-9, 11-7 and 11-8.
Asian Champion Mansoor Zaman of KP beat Kashif of Sindh by 3-0 with a score of 11-4, 11-7 and 11-7. Shanawaz of Army beat Aqib Hanif of HEC in another close encounter that ended 3-2 with a score of 10-12, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8 and 11-6.
Second seed Farhan Mehboob of Wapda, who recently reached the second round of the World Open in Saudi Arabia, beat Aurangzeb of Punjab by 3-1, the score was 6-11, 11-8, 11-7 and 11-8.
There is a draw of 16 players in the individual category of the squash event with World No. 30 Farhan Mehboob defending his title.
