ISLAMABAD - Ali Bokhari, Tayyab Aslam and Asim Khan won their respective matches of the trials being held for the selection of national junior team for the World Junior Squash Championship.
The trials have been conducted at the Mushaf Ali Mir Squash Complex under the command of head coach Jamshed Gul, who is being assisted by Faheem Gul, Sajjad Ahmed, Saima Shoukat, Safeer Khan, Ilyas Khan and Wazeer Gul.
Ali, Tayyab and Asim won two matches each they played while Israr Ahmed and Suleman Hashmi won one match each and lost one each also. One match each was played in the morning and evening sessions. In the first match of the day, Tayyab edged out Abbas Shoukat. Abbas was at one stage 2-0 up, but to the great credit of Tayyab, who bounced back in style and managed to win next three games in a row to avoid upset defeat. Tayyab lost first game 11-13, second 9-11, before winning the third 11-3, fourth 11-4 and fifth 11-9. In the second match of the day, Israr Ahmed beat Suleman Hashmi 3-0, winning 11-4, 11-5, 12-10 while in the third match, Asim Khan beat Kashif Asif 3-0. The score was 11-9, 11-6, 11-5. In the fourth match, Ali Bokhari was given bye as Ahsan Ayaz failed to turn up for the trials due to exams.
In the evening session’s match, Tayyab Aslam beat Kashif Asif 3-0 with the score of 13-11, 11-5, 11-8 while Asim Khan stunned Israr Ahmed 11-9, 11-8, 11-2 while last match of the evening session was awarded to Suleman Hashmi against Ahsan Ayaz.
In the evening session’s first match, Ali overwhelmed Abbas Shoukat 3-0. Tempers boiled as both the players had several verbal exchanges. Ali won the first game 12-10, second 11-8, despite 0-5 down, Ali came on top but the referee had to give conduct warning to both the players, as they were involved in verbal abuses. During the second game, the match was stopped as Ali got upset with consistent abuses and lodged protest with the referee. A number of players entered the court and tried to physically assault Ali but head coach Jamshed Gul, Faheem Gul and others rushed to the court and separated the players, it took several minutes before the situation was controlled. Later, Ali successfully won the match.
Though the PSF secretary Group Captain Amir Nawaz reached the spot at the time of scuffle, but didn’t bother to investigate the matter. PSF president Air Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt should take notice of the situation and initiate an inquiry against the inept behavior of PSF officials as well as the players so that such untoward incidents could be avoided in future.