Peshawar
Sana Bahadur clinched the trophy after upsetting her strong rival and top seeded Maira Hussain in the final of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Junior Girls and Boys Squash Championship played here at PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex on Sunday.
Former Sports Minister Syed Aqil Shah was the chief guest on this occasion who along with President KP Squash Association Qamar Zaman, Secretary Munawar Zaman, members of the executive committee and head of Blue Tone Squash Academy Wazir Gul, Sher Bahadur, Head Coach PAF Squash Academy Atlas Khan, players, Academy coaches and squash fans were also present and witnessed the thrilling final.
Second seeded Sana won the first set by 12-10 with Maira Hussain tried her hard to come back. The set was also tied on three occasions at 6-6, 9-9, 10-10 before Sana won the set at 12-10.
In the second set Sana also faced tough resistance and she lost the set by 9-11. Sana was leading but first Maira Hussain tied the tally at 7-7 and then at 9-all before taking the set at 9-11. It was the third set in which Sana Bahadur staged a strong come back and won the set by 13-11. The set was also tied at 8-8, 9-9, 10-10 and 11-11 before Sana won the set by 13-11.
After taking lead, Sana tough faced little resistance but overall she was dominated the match and marched into victory by winning the fourth set at 12-10. It was also tied at 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9 and 10-10 when Sana took the set at 12-10.
In the Boys Under-15 Muhammad Hanif defeated Yaseen Khattak by 3-1, the score was 11-7, 8-11, 12-10 and 17-15. Both Muhammad Hanif and Yaseen Khattak played well and gave each other a tough fight. Hanif took the first set by 11-7 but he failed to get the second set won by Yaseen Khattak at 8-11. When both were tied at 1-1 at the set tally, this was Hanif who staged a strong come back and marched into victory at 12-10. The set was tied at 8-8, 9-9 and 10-10 before Hanif winning the set at 12-10.
It was the fourth and decisive set in which both Muhammad Hanif and Yaseen Khattak stretched to 17-15 before leveling the tally at 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, 13-13, 14-14, 15-15.
In the Boys Under-17 final Hammad Khan of PAF defeated Nouman Khan of KP by 3-0, the score was 11-7, 11-6 and 11-6 and claimed the Under-17 title. Hammad Khan fully dominated the proceedings and did not give much time to Nouman Khan to strike back.
In the Girls Under-17 final top seed Nimra Aqeel defeated her younger sister Hira Aqeel in straight sets, the score was 11-4, 11-8 and 11-9. Nimra Aqeel has dominated the final and gave no chance to Hira to come back.
At the end, the chief guest Syed Aqil Shah gave away trophies and cash prizes to the position holders.
A total of 60 players, both boys and girls, took part in the Championship organized by KP Squash Association in connection with the new-year celebrations.—APP
