Kashif upsets Israr in SNGPL squash

LAHORE: Tenth seed Kashif Asif of Pakistan caused the major upset in SNGPL Pakistan International Squash Circuit-II when he stunned second seed Israr Ahmad, also of Pakistan, here at the Punjab Squash Complex on Wednesday.

Kashif, a wildcard holder in the tournament, started well to put Israr under tremendous pressure.

Kashif won the first game 11/8 but Israr then utilised his vast experience to take the second game 11/9. Kashif once again played superb squash and won the third game 11/9 before losing the 4th one 11/3. In the fifth and decisive game, it was Kashif who prevailed over Israr and won the game 11/6 to register an upset and well-deserving victory in 49-minute battle.

In other matches of the main round all the seeded players registered victories except Danish Atlas Khan who was once among top seeds and returned Pakistan squash after a long gap. One of the finest players of Pakistan squash Farhan Mehboob took just 17 minutes to outclass Bilal Zakir 11/3, 11/5, 11/8 while another top Pakistani player Farhan Zaman had to struggle in beating Zahir Shah 4/11, 12/10, 11/8, 11/4 in 34 minutes.

Tayyab Aslam edged past Kh Adil Maqbool 11/4, 11/4, 11/8, Asim Khan defeated Waqar Mehboob 12/10, 0/11, 11/9, 11/5, Syed Azlan Amjad routed Umair Zaman 11/9, 11/7, 11/8, Amaad Fareed faced tough resistance from Ali Bukhari before winning 11/9, 11/2, 9/11, 9/11, 11/5. In another encounter Asim Khan beat Danish Atlas 11/9, 10/12, 11/6, 11/8.

In the senior women main round, all the seeded players advanced to the next round. It was only Madina Zafar, who was unseeded player and won her encounter against Noor-Ain-Ijaz with scores of 11/6, 11/5, 11/3. Other results:

Saima Shaukat beat Amna Fayyaz 11/6, 11/8, 5/11, 5/11, 11/9, Noor ul Huda beat Aiman Shahbaz 11/8, 11/5, 12/10, Faiza Zafar beat Komal Khan 11/3, 6/11, 11/4, 11/1, Zahab Khan beat Sibgha Arshad 11/5, 11/7, 11/8, Riffat Khan beat Anam Mustafa Aziz 11/8, 11/0, 11/5, Zoya Khalid beat Moqaddas Javed 11/6, 11/6, 11/2.