Pakistan march into Commonwealth Beach Handball semis unbeaten

KARACHI: Pakistan stormed into the semi-finals of the Commonwealth Beach Handball Championship 2025 with an unbeaten record, capping off the group stage Saturday with back-to-back victories over South Africa and Bangladesh.

In their first match of the day, Pakistan overpowered South Africa 2–0 in sets with a commanding display. Kashif Ali led the charge with 18 points, earning Player of the Match honors. Pakistan won the opening half 24–15 and widened the gap with a 28–5 rout in the second to close out the contest in style. Muhammad Shahid Bashir, Mudassar Shahzad and Ahmad Hassan Baig also made key contributions. South Africa, despite efforts from Shaun Mpho Mokhine and Msimelelo Innocent Seti, struggled to contain Pakistan’s pace and precision.

Later in the day, Pakistan wrapped up their group campaign with another emphatic 2–0 win, this time against Bangladesh. Shahid Bashir starred again with an 18-point performance, while Baig added 12 and Hazrat Hussain chipped in 4. Pakistan raced to a 30–9 lead in the first half before sealing the win with a 32–13 margin in the second, completing a dominant 62–22 overall victory. Md. Nahid Ali, who scored 8 points, was the lone bright spot for Bangladesh. Shahid Bashir was named Player of the Match.

The double triumph ensured Pakistan topped the league standings, having earlier defeated India, Sri Lanka and Maldives. With five wins from five games, Pakistan head into the semi-finals as one of the strongest contenders in this debut edition of the championship.