KARACHI: Lowest-ranked Salman Virk of Railways captured his maiden men’s singles title of the Masters Cup by getting the better of Wapda’s Abdul Rahim in the fully stretched final at the Majeed Khan’s Gymnasium of Islamia Club on Tuesday.

Salman, who is ranked 32nd, overcome 13th ranked Abdul Rahim in the best of seven final 5-11, 11-5, 11-5, 7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-3 to surprise the pundits of the game.

Ghalia Mohsin also pulled of an upset by getting the better of top ranked Shabnam Bilal in the all-Habib Bank final to recapture the women’s singles crown. This is Ghalia’s back-to-victory over Shabnam as she had beaten her in the quarters of the national event at Bahawalpur recently. Ghalia was home 13-15, 13-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8.

Meanwhile, the men’s and women’s team event titles ended in a blaze of glory for Wapda and Habib Bank respectively.

Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF) president, S. M. Sibtain, who graced the finals, gave away the prizes.

Results:

Men’s singles:

Final: Salman Virk (Railways) bt Abdul Rahim (Wapda) 5-11, 11-5, 11-5, 7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-3.

Women’s singles:

Final: Ghalia Mohsin (HBL) bt Shabnam Bilal (HBL) 13-15, 13-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8

Men’s team event:

Final: Wapda bt Railways 3-0 (Bilal Yasin bt Yasir Bhatti 9-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7; Rameez Khan bt Salman Virk 13-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-6; Abdul Raheem bt Masood 11-4, 11-6, 12-10).

Women’s team event:

Final: Habib Bank bt Wapda 3-0 (Shabnam Bilal bt Sanam Yasin 11-1, 9-11, 11-1, 8-11, 11-7; Ghalia Mohsin bt Ayesha Iqbal 11-7, 12-10, 6-11, 11-7; Maliha Khurshid bt Loiza Irshad 11-8, 8-11, 12-14, 11-5, 11-5).

Men’s playoff for third-fourth positions:

Sindh bt Punjab 3-2 (Bilal Tariq bt M.Afzal 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-5; Kamran Sarang bt M.Hamza 11-7, 11-9, 11-6; Aahil Shah lost to M.Arbeel 11-9, 6-11, 11-13, 11-9, 6-11; Kamran Sarang lost to M.Afzal 6-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-3, 10-12; Bilal Tariq bt M.Hamza 11-8, 11-3, 11-8).

Women’s playoff for third-fourth positions:

Sindh bt Punjab 3-2 (Abeera Ali bt Farwa Arif (4-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7; Tayyaba Suleman lost to Yasmin Akhar 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 1-11, 7-11; Hareem Anwar lost to Maria 9-11, 5-11, 11-8, 5-11; Abeera Ali bt Yasmin Akhar 7-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-4; Tayyaba Suleman bt Farwa Arif 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5).

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2015

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