LAHORE: The 58th National Badminton Championships has moved into last-four stages after a substantial number of matches in round-of-16 and quarter-finals were decided in both the men’s and women’s categories at the Wapda Sports Complex courts from Tuesday night to Wednesday.

In two of women’s singles quarterfinals, Wapda’s Mahoor Shahzad upset top seed Palwasha Bashir of NBP 21-10, 21-9. Sehra Akram completed a good day for Wapda by beating Zubaira Islam of SNGPL 21-16, 21-10.

In the men’s singles last-eight round Murad Ali of NBP toppled his team-mate Anjum Bashir 21-18, 21-14; Mohammad Ali Larosh (Wapda) defeated Ahmer Jalal (Punjab) 21-10, 21-13; Azeem Sarwar (Wapda) outplayed Raja Mohammad Hasnain (NBP) 21-8, 21-14 and Hafiz Irfan Saeed (Wapda) eliminated Awais Zahid (Wapda) 21-12, 21-19.

Earlier, in the last-16 matches Murad Ali recovered from one set down to wrap up victory against Zulqarnain Haide 20-22, 21-12, 21-19.

Anjum Bashir of NBP spent 40 minutes on the court to overcome the challenge of experienced Hashir Bashir (Wapda) 21-12, 18-21, 21-16. In another close encounter, Wapda’s Awais Zahid went to full distance to beat Zohaib Khalil (Police) 22-24, 21-17, 21-11. Azeem Sarwar also stretched to three games to send packing his Wapda mate Abdur Rehman 17-21, 21-14, 21-15.

Results:

Men’s singles:

Quarter-finals: Murad Ali (NBP) bt Anjum Bashir (NBP) 21-18, 21-14; Mohammad Ali Larosh (Wapda) bt Ahmer Jalal (Punjab) 21-10, 21-13; Azeem Sarwar (Wapda) bt Raja Mohammad Hasnain (NBP) 21-8, 21-14; Hafiz Irfan Saeed (Wapda) beat Awais Zahid (Wapda) 21-12, 21-19.

Round of 16: Murad Ali bt Raja Zulqarnain Haider (NBP) 20-22, 21-12, 21-19; Anjum Bashir bt Hashir Bashir (Wapda) 21-12, 18-21, 21-16; Ahmer Jalal bt Yasir Ali (Punjab) 23-21, 21-16; Ali Larosh bt Ammar Masood (Punjab) 21-12, 21-13; Hasnain bt Shahmeer Iftikhar (SNGPL) 21-12, 21-18; Azeem bt Abdur Rehman (Wapda) 17-21, 21-14, 21-15; Hafiz Irfan Saeed bt Muqeet Tahir (SNGPL) 21-11, 21-11; Awais bt Zohaib Khalil (Police) 22-24, 21-17, 21-11.

Women’s singles:

Quarter-finals: Mahoor Shahzad (Wapda) bt Palwasha Bashir (NBP) 21-10, 21-9; Sehra Akram (Wapda) beat Zubaira Islam (SNGPL) 21-16, 21-10.

Round of 16: Mahoor bt Sara Razzaq (Wapda) 21-8, 21-7; Palwasha bt Huma Javed (Wapda) 18-21, 21-4, 21-7; Sehra Akram bt Sadia Irshad (Wapda) 21-5, 21-5; Zubaira bt Yasmeen Shahzadi (Islamabad) 21-11, 21-11; Khizra Rasheed (Wapda) bt Aqsa Zikriya (SNGPL) 21-18, 21-8; Bushra Qayyum (Wapda) bt Sidra Irfan (Wapda) 21-10, 21-18; Anila Irshad (Wapda) bt Amal Muneeb (Punjab) 21-15, 11-21, 21-14; Ghazala Siddique (Wapda) bt Mehwish Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 21-9, 21-4.

Men’s doubles:

Round of 16: Rizwan Azam (NBP)/Noman Sabir (SNGPL) bt Mohammad Atique (Wapda)/Raja Hasnain (NBP) 21-17, 21-18; Muteeb Sohail (KRL)/Ammar Masood (Punjab) bt Adnan Aziz-Shabbar Hussain (Wapda) 15-21, 25-23, 21-15; Azeem Sarwar-/Irfan Saeed (Wapda) bt Shahid Ahmad- Hamza Khan (Sindh) 21-13, 21-18; Amir Saeed-Shoaib Riaz (Wapda) bt Ahmad Faizan (Wapda)-Ahmed Tariq (SNGPL) 13-21, 21-9, 21-15; Awais Zahid-M Ali Larosh (Wapda) bt Umar Zeeshan (Wapda)/Abuzar (Punjab) 21-18, 21-17; Muqeet Tahir (SNGPL)/Zunain Javed (Wapda) bt Ali Nawab Dil (Wapda)/Adeel Anjum (Army) 21-12, 21-12; Hashir Bashir (Wapda)/Murad Ali (NBP) bt Shujaat Ali Khan (Wapda)/Ali Chishti (Islamabad) 21-13, 21-16.

Women’s doubles:

Round of 16: Ghazala Siddique (Wapda)/Zubaira Islam (SNGPL) bt Anmol Rasheed/Sidra Arshad (Wapda) 21-11, 21-3; Amal Muneeb/Laiba Masoud (Punjab) bt Rubab Imtiaz/Shahnaz Shah (Wapda) 21-17, 21-12; Saima Waqas (Wapda)/Aisha Akram (NBP) bt Hadia Ashfaq/Qurat-ul-Ain (PB) 21-6, 21-19; Khizra Rasheed/Sidra (Wapda) bt Aneeqa/Sara Razzaq (Wapda) 21-15, 17-21, 21-14; Javeria Tahir/Wirdha Gohar (SNGPL) bt Aqsa Zikriya (SNGPL)/Kausar Javed (Punjab) 21-17, 21-19; Mahoor Shahzad (Wapda)/Palwasha Bashir (NBP) bt Bushra Qayyum/Farzana (Wapda) 21-11, 21-9.

Mixed doubles:

Quarter-finals: Mohammad Ali Larosh/Ghazala Siddique (Wapda) bt Adeel Anjum/Ridah Hanif (Army) 21-8, 21-14; Waqas Ahmed (Wapda)/Aisha Akram (NBP) bt Atique Chaudhry/Khizra (Wapda) 21-17, 16-21, 21-18; Raja Zulqarnain Haider (NBP)/Saima Waqas (Wapda) bt Ammar Masood/Laiba Masoud (Punjab) 21-17, 21-9.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2020