Asim, Raheela regain table tennis titles

KARACHI: Asim Qureshi and Raheela Kashif regained their men’s and women’s singles titles when they won the finals of the 52nd National Table Tennis Championship in Multan on Saturday.

Highly experienced international Asim, from WAPDA, who had last claimed the title in 2014, defeated his teammate Faryal Minhas in straight sets in the decider to wear the crown.

The set score remained 11-4, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5.

Asim had crushed the under-15 champion Faizan Zahoor of Army 4-0 in the semi-final. Faryal had defeated Rameez Khan of WAPDA 4-3 in the semi-final.

Raheela of Army outgunned former champion Shabnam Bilal of Army 4-3 in the women’s singles final to reclaim the title after 14 long years. This was the third crown for Raheela who won titles in 1996 and 2001.

The final score was 12-10, 6-11, 2-11, 11-7, 18-16, 5-11, 11-6.

Raheela had beaten Ayesha Sharjeel of WAPDA 4-3 in the semi-final. Shabnam had got the better of Ghalia Mohsin 4-0 in the other pre-final.

In men’s doubles final, which was an all-WAPDA affair, Rameez and Abdul Rehim defeated Faryal Minhas and Hafiz Zeeshan 3-0 with the set scores being 11-4, 11-6, 11-9.

The women’s doubles title went to Army when Raheela and Shabnam outgunned Ayesha and Sidra of WAPDA 3-0 in the final. The score remained 11-7, 11-6, 11-9.

WAPDA’s Asim and Sadia Falak Sher won the mixed doubles title when they whipped their teammates Rameez and Ayesha 3-0 in the final. The set scores were 11-8, 11-5, 11-6.

WAPDA on Friday won the men’s team event title, while Army grabbed the women’s team event crown for the first time in history.

Army recently recruited all those women players who had been fired by Habib Bank Limited (HBL) after they disbanded their table tennis team.

Saturday’s results: Men’s singles semi-finals: Asim Qureshi (WAPDA) bt Faizan Zahoor (Army) (4-0) 11-7, 11-4, 11-6, 11-4

Faryal Minhas (WAPDA) bt Rameez Khan (WAPDA) (4-3) 11-13, 5-11, 11-6, 7-11, 12-10, 11-5, 11-8

Men’s singles final: Asim Qureshi (WAPDA) bt Faryal Minhas (WAPDA) (4-0) 11-4, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5

Women singles semi-finals: Raheela Kashif (Army) bt Ayesha Sarjeel (WAPDA) (4-3) 10-12, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 14-12, Shabnam Bilal (Army) bt Ghalia Mohsin (Sindh) (4-0) 11-7, 11-5, 11-4, 11-6

Women’s singles final: Raheela Kashif (Army) bt Shabnam Bilal (Army) (4-3) 12-10, 6-11, 2-11, 11-7, 18-16, 5-11, 11-6

Mixed doubles pre-quarter-finals: Asim Qureshi & Sadia Falak (WAPDA) bt Hafiz & Farwa (HEC) (3-0) 11-5, 11-3, 11-5, Abdul Rahim & Mehmooda (WAPDA) bt Aahil & Qurat Mujtaba (Sindh) 11-4, 11-2, 11-4, Bilal & Sidra (WAPDA) bt Hamza & Amna (HEC) (3-0) 11-8,11-5, 11-4, Bilal Tariq & Maliha (Sindh) bt M Islam & Yasmin (WAPDA) (3-0) 11-9, 11-7, 11-9, Sanam & Hafiz Zeshan (WAPDA) bt Fahim & Ayesha (WAPDA) (3-0) 12-10, 11-7, 12-10, Rameez & Ayesha (WAPDA) bt Ummam Kh & Kainat (KP) (3-0) 11-8, 11-5, 116, Salman & Farah (HEC) bt Mohsin & Ghalia (Sindh) (3-2) 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-7, Faryal & Sobia (WAPDA) bt Obaid & Anum (KP) (3-2) 11-8, 11-9,8-11, 8-11, 11-3

Mixed doubles quarters: Asim Qureshi & Sadia Falak (WAPDA) bt Salman & Farah (HEC) (3-0) 11-8, 11-3, 11-6, Bilal & Sidra (WAPDA) bt Bilal Tariq & Maliha (Sindh) (3-1) 10-12, 11-4, 12-10, 11-7, Rameez & Ayesha (WAPDA) bt Sanam & Hafiz Zeeshan (WAPDA) (3-0) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6, Faryal & Sobia (WAPDA) bt Abdul Rahim & Mehmooda (WAPDA) (3-1) 11-6, 11-13, 11-6, 13-11 Mixed doubles semi-finals: Rameez & Ayesha (WAPDA) bt Bilal & Sidra (WAPDA) (3-1) 6-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-5, Asim Qureshi & Sadia Falak (WAPDA) bt Faryal & Sobia (WAPDA) (3-0) 11-6, 11-9, 14-12

Mixed doubles final: Asim Qureshi & Sadia Falak (WAPDA) bt Rameez & Ayesha (WAPDA) (3-0) 11-8, 11-5, 11-6

Women’s doubles final: Raheela & Shabnam (Army) bt Ayesha & Sidra (WAPDA) (3-0) 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 Men’s doubles final: Rameez & Rahim (WAPDA) bt Faryal Minhas & Hafiz Zeshan (WAPDA) (3-0) 11-4, 11-6, 11-9.