Asim survives scare to enter CNS Squash quarters

\KARACHI: Pakistan’s second seed Asim Khan recovered from two sets down to beat Iran’s Sajad Zareian Jahromi in the second round of the US$18,000 13th Chief of the Naval Staff International Squash Championship at the Pakistan Navy Roshan Khan Jahangir Khan Squash Complex here on Friday.

With the victory, Asim confirmed his place in the quarter-finals.Unseeded Sajad won the first two sets 14-12 and 11-9 to take a 2-0 lead. But just when an upset looked on cards, Asim made a strong comeback, taking the next three sets 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 to seal victory.

Meanwhile, top seed Mexico’s Arturo Salazar took only 21 minutes to dispatch Hong Kong’s 9/16 Tang Ming Hong 11-4, 11-8, 11-5.Egypt’s 9/16 seed Youssef Ibrahim shocked Pakistan’s eighth seed Israr Ahmed recording a formidable 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 victory in 26 minutes.

Pakistan’s seventh seed Shahjahan Khan beat compatriot Farhan Zaman 15-13, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 in 40 minutes. Third seed Farhan Mehboob took 25 minutes to dispatch 9/16 seed Henry Leung of Hong Kong for a 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 win.