Mahoor wins gold in Pakistan International Badminton

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Mahoor Shahzad won gold in the women’s singles competitions of Pakistan International Series Badminton tournament as she beat Hasini Nuasak Ambalangodage of Sri Lanka in the final at Liaquat Gymnasium Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad, on Sunday.

The men’s doubles and women’s doubles titles also went to Pakistan. The 21-year-old Karachi-based shuttler played fine game, sealing an easy 21-15, 21-19 victory.On Saturday, Mahoor had inflicted an upset 2-0 defeat on Thi Phuong Thuy Tran of Vietnam with scores of 21-16, 21-4.

In the other semi-final, Hasini had ousted Pakistan’s Sehra Akram with scores of 21-16, 21-4. In the men’s singles final, Duc Phat Le of Vietnam prevailed over Emre Lale of Turkey 15-21, 21-11, 21-11 to secure gold.

The men’s doubles gold went to the pair of Rizwan Azam and Kashif Sulehri of Pakistan who defeated compatriots Irfan Saeed Bhatti and Azeem Sarwar 21-18, 21-18 in the final. The women’s doubles gold was snared by Pakistan’s Palwasha Bashir and Khizra Rasheed who defeated Sehra Akram and Huma Javed, also of Pakistan, 21-12, 21-11.

In the mixed doubles final, the pair of Dipesh Dhami and Shova Gauchan of Nepal outgunned Ratnajit Tamang and Nangsal Tamang also of Nepal 21-14, 21-13 to clinch gold. Shuttlers from nine nations showed their worth in the competitions.