Ayesha to face Shabnam in women’s singles final today

KARACHI: Defending champion Ayesha Sharjeel and former champion Shabnam Bilal blasted their way into women’s singles final, crafting convincing wins over their respective rivals on the penultimate day of the National Table Tennis Championships here at the Majeed Khan Gymnasium in Islamia Club on Wednesday.

The final will be held on Thursday (today). WAPDA’s Ayesha, formerly known as Ayesha Iqbal, whacked Raheela Kashif 4-1 in the first semi-final with the scores of 7-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5. WAPDA’s Shabnam, a former Habib Bank Limited (HBL) shuttler, did a fine job to beat Aliha Ansar 4-0 with the scores of 11-4, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7.

Former national champion Asim Qureshi of WAPDA, Mohammad Rameez of WAPDA, Hasan Haider of Railways and Ubaid Shah of Army qualified for men’s singles semi-finals. The pair of Ubaid Shah and Fahad Khwaja of Army defeated WAPDA’s Ali Faisal and Asim Munir 3-0 to secure men’s doubles crown with the scores of 11-5, 11-7, 11-4.

The women’s doubles crown was won by WAPDA’s Ghalia Mohsin and Maleeha Ansar, who overcame their teammates Qurat Mujtaba and Sadia Falak Sher 3-2 with the scores of 11-3, 6-11, 6-11, 11-2, 11-7. Asim and Sadia of WAPDA won the mixed doubles crown ousting Abdul Rahim and Mehmooda Haider of WAPDA (3-0) with the scores of 11-9, 11-9, 11-5.

Men’s Singles quarter-finals: Hassan Haider (Railways) bt Irtiza Ali (Punjab) (4-1) 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-7; Asim Qureshi (WAPDA) bt Danish Ali (Army) (4-0) 11-5, 11-2, 11-6, 11-5; Ubaid Shah (Army) bt Salman Virk (Army) (4-2) 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 15-13, 9-11, 11-9; Muhammad Rameez (WAPDA) bt Hafeez ur Rehman (Punjab) (4-2) 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-7, 3-11, 11-5. Women’s doubles final: Ghalia Mohsin & Maliha Ansar (WAPDA) bt Qurat Mujtaba & Sadia Falak (WAPDA) (3-2) 11-3, 6-11, 6-11, 11-2, 11-7.

Women’s doubles semi-finals: Ghalia Mohsin & Maliha Ansar (WAPDA) bt Farah Ilyas & Farwa Babar (Army) (3-0) 11-3, 11-2, 11-9, Qurat Mujtaba & Sadia Falak (WAPDA) bt Mehmooda & Sanam Yaseen (WAPDA) (3-2) 1-11, 11-6, 15-17, 11-8, 11-8.

Men’s doubles final: Ubaid Shah & Fahad Khuwaja (Army) bt Ali Faisal & Asim Munir (WAPDA) (3-0) 11-5, 11-7, 11-4.

Men’s doubles semi-finals: Ubaid Shah & Fahad Khuwaja (Army) bt Asim Qureshi & Mohammad Rameez (WAPDA) (3-1) 11-9, 6-11, 12-10, 13-11; Ali Faisal & Asim Munir (WAPDA) bt Mohsin Sarwar & Jahangir Khan (WAPDA) (3-1) 11-6, 12-14, 11-6, 11-7.

Men’s doubles quarter-finals: Asim Qureshi & M Rameez (WAPDA) bt Arbaz Anwar & Saad Nadeem( NHA) (3-0) 11-6, 11-6, 11-8; Ali Faisal & Asim Munir (WAPDA) bt Salman Virk & Faizan Zahoor (Army) (3-1) 3-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-2; Ubaid Shah & Fahad Khuwaja (Army) bt Fahim Raza & Faryal Minhas (WAPDA) (3-1) 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9, Mohsin Sarwar & Jahangir Khan (WAPDA) bt Abdul Rahim & Shujat Ali (WAPDA) (3-1) 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9.

Men’s doubles pre-quarter-finals: Ali Faisal & Asim Munir (WAPDA) bt Awais Ahmed & Hassan Haider (Railways) (3-1) 8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-8; Fahim Raza & Faryal Minhas (WAPDA) bt Subhan Asim & Salman Saleem (HEC) (3-2) 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 10-12, 11-2; Ubaid Shah & Fahad Khuwaja(Army) bt Awais Hassan & Umair Hassan (Chromatex) (3-1) 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8; Arbaz Anwar & Saad Nadeem (NHA) bt Danish Ali & Muhammad Islam (Army) (3-2) 6-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6; Salman Virk & Faizan Zahoor (Army) bt Raheel Qureshi & Noman Zara (Sindh) (3-0) 11-2, 11-9, 11-6; Asim Qureshi & M Rameez (WAPDA) bt Akbar Shah & Kaif Raiz (Sindh) (3-0) 11-7, 11-4, 11-4; Mohsin Sarwar & Jahangir Khan (WAPDA) bt Shah Khan & Basit Ali (NHA) (3-0) 11-9, 11-9, 11-6; Abdul Rahim & Shujat Ali (WAPDA) bt Abdullah Nazeer & Aahil Shah (HEC) (3-1) 11-4, 11-8, 10-12, 14-12.