Sports Desk
PESHAWAR: Ashab Irfan of Punjab and Hamza Sharif of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would setup final show down in the All Pakistan National U19 Boys Squash Championship after recording victories against their respective rivals here at Qamar Zaman Squash Complex on Wednesday.
Member Executive Committee and Head Coach of Blue Tone Squash Academy Wazir Gul was the chief guest on this occasion and witnessed the semi-final matches. Secretary KP Squash Association Munawar Zaman, Coaches Muhammad Waseem, Alam Zeb, Niamat Ullah, players and spectators were also present.
In the first semi-final former Under-15 and Under-17 No.1 Ashaf Irfan of Punjab registered victory against international seeded player Noor Zaman in a 3-2 battle that lasted for 46 minutes.
Ashab Irfan of Punjab recorded victories in the first two sets at 11-8 and 11-4. When Ashab Irfan of Punjab took two sets he failed to click in the remaining two sets won by Noor Zaman of PAF at 9-11 and 6-11. The two Ashab Irfan and Noor Zaman played excellently by giving each other a tough fight with some excellent drop shorts, nick and forceful smashes were also witnessed.
Noor played well and staged a strong comeback with some fine strokes but he failed to click in the last and decisive sets won by Ashab Irfan of Punjab very easily. The score was 11-4. In the other semi-final both international Hamza Sharif of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa international and Khushal Riaz of KP where in Hamza Sharif also represented Pakistan in the British Open played well against his strong rival.
Hamza Sharif of KP failed to win the first two sets claimed by Khushal Riaz at 10-12 and 10-12. Hamza Sharif after conceding the first two sets came back strongly and took the third and fourth sets by 11-4 and 11-4. It was the fifth set when Hamza succeeded in maintaining his supremacy and won the set by 11-8. Khushal Riaz who represented Pakistan in the US Junior, British Junior and Canadian Junior Open played excellently by giving tough resistance to Hamza Sharif of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The semi-final lasted for 53-minute. The final would be played at 3.00 p.m with Ashab and Hamza facing each other.