Pak trio advance to CNS Squash semis

KARACHI: Seventh seed Shahjahan Khan defeated Kuwait’s Ammar Altamimi to move into the semi-finals of the 13th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) International Squash Championship here at the Pakistan Navy Roshan Khan Jahangir Khan Squash Complex on Saturday.

Shajahan, son of former squash player and Asian Games gold medallist Zarak Jahan Khan, overpowered his fourth seed rival 5-11, 12-10, 11-3, 11-2 in 30 minutes.

Shahjahan will join two other Pakistan players — Farhan Mehboob and Asim Khan — in the semi-finals.

In the second quarter-final, third seed Farhan defeated Hong Kong’s 9/16 seed Tsz Kwan Lau 11-2, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4 in 28 minutes. Meanwhile, second seed Asim overcame Portugal’s fifth seed Rui Soares 6-11, 4-11, 11-1, 11-8, 11-9 in an hour-long contest.

Egypt’s 9/16 seed Youssef Ibrahim beat top seed Arturo Salazar of Mexico 9-11, 11-2, 12-10, 11-6 in the other quarter-final.

Shajahan will face Youssef, while Farhan will meet Asim in the semis. The championship carries a prize money of US$18,000.