ISLAMABAD: Hamza Khan and Noor Zaman got off to flying starts at the Chief of the Air Staff International Squash Championship for Men, which got underway here at the Mushaf Squash Complex on Wednesday.

Hamza managed to topple Kuwait’s Ammar Altamimi 14-12, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 in four well-fought games of a match which lasted 41 minutes. Noor, on the other hand took 38 minutes to beat Egypt’s Mohamed Nasser 10-12, 12-10, 11-8, 11-3.

Along with the men’s event, the tournament’s version for women players also kicked off Wednesday.

Besides locals players, around 30 world ranking men and women players from Austria, Czech Republic, Egypt, England, Spain, Germany, Hungry, Iran, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, Serbia, Singapore and USA are participating in the event.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Pakistan Squash Federation senior vice-president Air Marshal Aamir Masood said the body was planning to launch a squash league next year. He said the league will feature foreign players along with top local talent.

The venue for the event, Aamir said, was yet to be decided. However, major centres Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad are being considered by the PSF.

Results:

Men’s event: Hamza Khan (PAK) bt Ammar Altamimi (KUW) 14-12, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9; Ibrahim Elkabbani (EGY) bt Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 11-8, 11-9, 11-13, 11-8; Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAL) bt Zeeshan Zeb (PAK) 7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9; Ahsan Ayaz (PAK) bt Alireza Shamili (IRI) 11-7, 11-9, 12-10; Adeen Idrakie (MAL) bt Mohammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9; Noor Zaman (PAK) bt Mohamed Nasser (EGY) 10-12, 12-10, 11-8, 11-3; Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Israr Ahmad (PAK) 11-4, 11-5, 11-3; Viktor Byrtus (CZE) bt Abdallah Elmasry (EGY) 12-10, 4-11, 11-1, 6-11, 11-9

Women’s event: Nour Heikal (GER) bt Sammer Anjum (PAK) 11-5, 11-2, 11-7, Haya Ali (EGY) bt Komal Khan (PAK) 11-3, 11-2, 11-4; Yasshmita Jadishkumar (MAL) bt Mehwish Ali (PAK) 11-2, 11-2, 11-4; Sadia Gul (PAK) bt Arisha Khan (USA) 11-8, 11-4, 11-8; Rushna Mehboob (PAK) bt Saima Shaukat (PAK) 11-5, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6; Noor Ul Huda (PAK) bt Kincso Szasz (HUN) 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10; Zynab Khan (PAK) bt Aiman Shahbaz (PAK) 11-8, 11-9, 11-7; Jelena Dutina (SRB) bt Anam Mustafa Aziz (PAK) 12-10, 11-9, 11-7.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2022