Top players reach badminton semi-finals

KARACHI: The country’s top players were able to make it to the semi-finals of the men’s and women’s singles at the National Badminton Championship in Lahore on Tuesday.In men’s singles, defending champion Awais Zahid of WAPDA, Hafiz Irfan Saeed, Ali Mehdi and Murad Ali qualified for the semi-finals.

In women’s singles, defending champion Mahoor Shehzad, former national champion Palwasha Bashir, Zubaira and Bushra Qayyum reached the semi-finals.

Men’s singles quarter-finals: Irfan Saeed (WAPDA) bt Abdur Rehman (WAPDA) 21-13, 21-15; Awais Zahid (WAPDA) bt Azeem Sarwar (WAPDA) 24-22, 21-10; Ali Mehdi (WAPDA) bt Hashir Bashir (WAPDA) 21-14, 21-16; Murad Ali (NBP) bt Muteeb Sohail (HEC) 21-15, 21-22, 21-04.

Women’s singles quarter-finals: Palwasha Bashir (NBP) bt Huma Javed (WAPDA) 21-14, 21-13; Zubaira (SNGPL) bt Hina Insabat (WAPDA) 21-11, 21-18; Bushra Qayyum (WAPDA) bt Sehra Akram (WAPDA) 17-21, 21-19, 21-19; Mahoor Shahzad (WAPDA) bt Ghazala Siddique (SNGPL) 21-15, 21-7. Women’s doubles quarter-finals: Mahoor & Saima (WAPDA) bt Sidra (WAPDA) & Javeria (SNGPL) 21-11, 21-6; Palwasha & Sara (NBP) bt Rosheen (HEC) & Maryam (Sindh) 21-6, 21-11; Ghazala & Zubaira (SNGPL) bt Hina & Nida (WAPDA) 21-8, 21-12; Sehar & Huma (WAPDA) bt Bushra & Mehmoona (WAPDA) 21-15, 22-20.

Mixed doubles quarter-finals: Irfan (WAPDA) & Ghazala (SNGPL) bt Saima & Waqas (WAPDA) 21-17, 21-12; Azeem & Saba (WAPDA) bt Nabeel & Bisma (Railways) 21-12, 21-11; Attique & Manaal (WAPDA) bt Zunain & Mehmoona (WAPDA) 16-21, 21-9, 21-18; Rizwan & Sara (NBP) bt Ali & Rida ((Army) 21-11, 21-12.

Today’s fixtures: Men’s singles semi-finals (2pm), women’s singles semi-finals (2pm), men’s doubles semi-finals (4pm), women’s doubles final (6pm) and mixed doubles final (6:30pm).