ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: A clash everyone had been waiting for. It wouldn’t matter if it’s not on the cricket pitch. Let it be on the squash court - a Pakistan-India final that is bound to provide a thrilling finale to the 11th Asian Junior Championship Saturday at the Roshan Khan Complex.
Although Pakistan, the reigning champions, are the clear favourites, it still should be a match having all the ingredients of a quality final.
And the match-up was made possible Friday after Pakistan first whipped Malaysia 3-0 in the semifinal and then India gave a similar treatment to Kuwait in the second prefinal.
Yasir Butt, the current under-17 British Junior champion, Khalid Atlas and Farhan Mahboob, winner of the individual crown here, were on Pakistan’s demolition squad as they razed Malaysia in less than 50 minutes.
Yasir, the losing finalist of the individual event, eliminated Fabian Faurillo 9-3, 9-0, 9-3 in just 18 minutes and then Khalid downed Mohammad Nafizaham with a straightforward 9-3, 9-2, 9-0 victory that came in just over 20 minutes. The promising Farhan completed the rout, his victim being Mohammed Shahril whom he defeated 9-0, 9-3.
India’s victory was achieved through the efforts of Siddharth Schude, Gaurav Nandrajog and Supreet Singh with Siddharth having to gather all his energies in overpowering a fighting Ali Ramezi 9-4, 3-9, 5-9, 9-3, 9-1 after an hour-long struggle. Gaurav then beat Salem Fayez Mohd 9-5, 9-4, 9-6 while Supreet knocked out Abdullah Mezayin 9-4, 9-6.
Earlier in the morning, India had scored a convincing 3-0 win over Malaysia to set up a meeting in the semis with Kuwait.
In the girls competition, India and Malaysia advanced to Saturday’s final with identical 2-1 wins over Hong Kong and Singapore respectively.
The Pakistani girls lost to Sri Lanka 3-0 to finish sixth in the tournament.
Results: (morning session): Kuwait bt Hong Kong 2-1 (Abullah Mezayin bt Anson K Wong 9-0, 9-4, 9-3, Nasir Ramezi lost to Dick Lau 9-4, 3-9, 4-9, 9-4, 6-9, Ali Ramezi bt Vincent Yu Hok Yan 9- 7, 9-6, 9-1; India bt Malaysia 3-0 (Gaurav Nandrajog bt Mohd Shahril 9-0, 9-3, 9-5, Siddharth Schude bt Timothy Arnold 9-3, 9- 3, 10-9, Saurav Ghosal bt Nafzahizam 9-5, 9-0, 9-2); Singapore bt Sri Lanka 3-0 (Vivian Rahmanan bt Harin Perrera 9-0, 9-2, 9-0); Ang Shirong Sean bt Kavin Jayawardhna 1-9, 7-9, 9-5, 9-5, 9-3, Richard Hill bt Manojith Weerasuriya 9-10, 9-7, 3-9, 9-2, 10-8.
Semifinals: Pakistan bt Malaysia 3-0 (Yasir Butt bt Fabian Faurillo 9-3, 9-0, 9-3, Khalid Atlas bt Mohd Nafizaham 9-3, 9-2, 9-0, Farhan Mahboob bt Mohd Shahril 9-0, 9-3); India bt Kuwait (Siddharth Schude bt Ali Ramezi 9-4, 3-9, 5-9, 9-3, 9-1, Gaurav Nandrajog bt Salem Fayez 9-5, 9-4, 9-6, Supreet Singh bt Abdullah Mezayin 9-4, 9-6)
Girls (morning session): Singapore bt Sri Lanka 3-0 (Tan Pie Qi bt Tehani Guruge 9-6, 9-2, 6-9, 8-10, 10-8, Goh Mui Yen bt Nirasha Guruge 8-10, 9-4, 8-10, 9-6, 9-7, Koh Kar Yan bt Vidushi Gurunada 9-0, 9-1, 9-0); Malaysia bt Hong Kong 2-1 ( Sally Looi bt Chiu Ka Kai 9-3, 7-9, 10-9, 5-9, 9-6, Lim Yoke Wah lost to Joey Chan Ho 8-10, 5-9, 9-6, 4-9, Delia Arnold bt Natalie So 9-1, 9-4, 4-9, 9-3).
Girls semifinals: India bt Hong Kong 2-1, Malaysia bt Singapore 2-1.
Playoff for fifth/sixth positions: Sri Lanka bt Pakistan 3-0.