Pakistan defeat Malaysia to reach Asian Doubles Squash final

KARACHI: Pakistan has secured a coveted spot in the final of the Asian Doubles Squash Championship, following a gruelling 2-1 victory over Malaysia in a nail-biting semifinal clash on Wednesday.

The Pakistani duo of Noor Zaman and Nasir Iqbal showcased exceptional skills to overcome the Malaysian pair of Syafiq Kamal and Duncan Lee. 

The intensely contested match extended to three games, with Pakistan ultimately prevailing with scores of 10-11, 11-9, and 11-9. The hard-fought semifinal captivated spectators for a full one-hour-and-eight minutes.

Pakistan's journey to the final has been marked by strong performances throughout the championship. 

As the second seed, the national team demonstrated remarkable form, including a thrilling 2-1 quarterfinal victory on Tuesday against the Korean pair of Jiang Min Ryu and Jaijin Yoo.

Their dominant run began in the group stage on Monday, where they secured back-to-back wins. Pakistan dispatched the Filipino pair with ease, winning 11-7 and 11-4, before delivering a commanding performance against the Koreans to secure their top position in the group.

For the unversed, Zaman had earlier exited the Asian Individual Squash Championship following a narrow defeat in his pre-quarterfinal match.

Pakistan will now face archrival and top-seed India in the championship final. India’s Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar await in what promises to be a high-stakes showdown.