PESHAWAR: Top seed Komal Khan faced stiff resistance from Laiba Ijaz before winning the Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa Women’s Squash Championship final here at the PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex on Saturday.

Komal exhibited some classic strokes that enthralled the spectators to win her fourth consecutive match against Laiba.

Komal, who is also current national junior champion, had to work hard to claim the first game 11-9. The game was tied at 4-4, 5-5 and 9-9 before Komal eventually prevailed.

The exciting battle continued in the second game as the contestants gave each other tough time. Though Komal took lead reaching 4-0, Laiba staged a fine comeback and was able to first tie the game at 4-4 before making it 6-6, 7-7, 8-8 and 9-9. Komal however edged out here rival to grab the game 11-9.

Laiba went down fighting in the third game — as the score was tied at 5-5, 7-7 and 8-8 — as Komal took the game 11-8 to clinch the title.

In her post-match talk, Komal, the bronze medallist of the first Quaid-i-Azam Inter-provincial Youth Games, said she enjoyed playing against Laiba.

“This time Laiba’s strokes had extra force,” she said. “I on my part had to try harder to win this final.”

Laiba, meanwhile, said she lacked practice in the lead-up to the final due to her exams preparation, but acknowledged “Komal has improved a lot and most of the time she dominated the match”.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...