Pak badminton players continue to flop in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan’s misery on the badminton courts continued late Thursday when the national shuttlers lost their matches in the singles events of the Commonwealth Games here at the National Exhibition Centre.

In the men’s singles round of 32 Hafiz Irfan Saeed Bhatti lost to Tza Yong NG of Malaysia 0-2 to face an exit. The set score remained 21-10, 21-9 in the Malaysian favour.

Meanwhile in the men’s singles round of 32 Pakistan’s top shuttler Murad Ali went down to Singapore’s Jia Heng Teh 0-2 and bowed out of the event.

Murad did well but failed to notch any surprise. The set score remained 21-14, 21-16.

In the women’s singles round of 32, Olympian Mahoor Shahzad got retired hurt in the second set when she was losing 1-8 against India’s Aakarshi Kashyop. She lost her first set 20-22 where she was seen in her element.