LAHORE, June 19: Four Pakistanis, including wild card entry Khayal Muhammad and qualifier Farrukh Zaman marched into the quarterfinals of the PTCL-Pakistan international squash championship at Punjab Squash Complex on Sunday.
Among five foreigners, four made it to the last eight.
Khayal was stretched to five games by a strong rival from Ireland Liam Kenny. In a showdown which saw fortunes fluctuating, Khayal won 5-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7.
He made unforced errors helping Kenny to wrap up the first game easily in 12 minutes. But it was different story for the Irish in the second as Khayal came back roaring to win the game 11-5 and restore parity.
Kenny halted Khayal’s march with by winning the third game.
Kenny, however, could not maintain his form as Khayal staged a brilliant comeback winning the remaining two games quite easily.
Farrukh maintained the winning streak beating 8th seed Shamsul Islam Khan in another five-game battle 13-15, 10-12, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6 in a 60-minute battle.
Top seed Shahid Zaman outclassed Arshad Iqbal Burki in an all-Pakistan encounter 9-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-2.
Fourth seed Mansoor Zaman ousted countryman Khalid Atlas 11-5, 11-4, 3-11, 11-5.
Alex Gough beat qualifier Khawaja Adil Maqbool 11-9, 11-3, 11-8. Stephen Galif of France, the 7th seed, faced little opposition from Yasir Butt before winning 5-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9.
The Egyptian M Essam A Hafiz toppled Majid Khan 11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9 in 50 minutes.
In the last match of the day, Mohammad Azlan Iskandar (Malaysia) dislodged Amir Atlas Khan 11-6, 11-7, 11-4.
Results:
Shahid Zaman (Pak) bt Arshad Iqbal Burki (Pak) 9-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-2; M Essam A Hafiz (Egypt) bt Majid Khan (Pak) 11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9; Alex Gough (Wales) bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool (Pak) 11-9, 11-3, 11-8; Khayal Muhammad (Pak) bt Liam Kenny (Ireland) 5-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7; Stephen Galif (France) bt Yasir Butt (Pak) 5-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9; Mansoor Zaman (Pak) bt Khalid Atlas (Pak) 11-5, 11-4, 3-11, 11-5; Farrukh Zaman (Pak) bt Shamsul Islam Khan (Pak) 13-15, 10-12, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6; Mohammad Azlan Iskandar (Malaysia) bt Amir Atlas Khan (Pak) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4.