Dominant Pakistan defeat India, book U12 ATF South Asia final spot

KARACHI: Pakistan’s under-12 boys’ tennis team powered into the final of the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) South Asia Championship on Thursday, delivering a commanding 2-0 win over traditional rivals India in the semifinals.

The young Pakistani squad outclassed their opponents in straight sets, with Rashid Ali defeating B.C. Thanush Shekar 6-2, 6-3, while Muhammad Shayan Afridi overpowered Khatri Nayan 6-0, 6-1.

The win sets up a title clash against hosts Sri Lanka on Friday.

Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) President Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi hailed the victory as a proud moment.

"Beating our arch-rival India in the semifinal is a tremendous achievement," Aisam ul Haq said. "Hopefully, tomorrow we will defeat Sri Lanka and lift the championship."

He contrasted the result with last week's narrow loss by Pakistan's under-16 Davis Cup juniors against India in Kazakhstan, calling this performance sheer dominance.

PTF Secretary General Col Zia-ud-Din Tufail praised the team's flawless run, saying their performance had been "simply amazing."

Pakistan had earlier swept the group stage, blanking the Maldives, Bangladesh, and Nepal 3-0 each.