ISLAMABAD    -    Pakistani players started the inaugural day of the Yonex Sunrise Pakistan International Series Badminton Tournament 2019 in great style as majority of local players registering easy victories here at Rodham Hall, Pakistan Sports Complex on Thursday.

Total 47 matches were played on the first day of the four-day event. In the qualification round, M Muqeet Tahir of Pakistan beat Sayed Naweed Sayedy of Afghanistan 2-0 in one-sided affair. Muqeet won the first game 21-4 and took the second 21-11; Amir Saeed beat Sayed Masoud Sayedy Afg 2-0, winning 21-8, 21-10; Abdur Rehman beat Emran Raqhim Afg 2-0, winning 21-16 and 21-15, Raja M Zulqarnain Haider beat Sabawoon Gulzad Afg 2-0, winning 21-10 and 21-18, Azeem Sarwar beat Ahmad Nadim Mustafazad AFG 2-0, winning 21-6 and 21-13.

Raja M Husnain beat Faqiri AFG 2-0, winning 21-12 and 21-6, M Adnan beat Elyas Gharman Afg 2-0, winning 21-4 and 21-9, Ali Mehdi Syed beat Haseebullah Nazari AFG 2-0, winning 21-9 and 21-9, in men’s singles first round, B R Sankeerth Canada beat Abbas Alpofead Iraq walk over, Awais Zahid beat Ratnajit Tamang, Nepal 2-0, winning 21-14 and 21-17, Saran Jamsri Thailand beat Bikash Shrestha Nepal, 2-0, winning 21-5 and 21-10, m Irfan Saeed Bhatti beat Abdulrahman Qusay Iraq 2-0, winning 21-9 and 21-9.

Dipesh Dhami Nepal beat Hussein Zayan Shaheed Maldives 2-0, winning 21-7 and 21-13. Georges Julien Paul beat Panukorn Nimitpomchai Thailand 2-0, winning 21-16 and 21-15, Howar Shu USa beat M Qusay Iraq 2-0, winning 21-5 and 21-6, M Muqeet Tahir in qualification round beat Said M Kabir Mirzad AFG 2-0, winning 21-14 and 21-4, Amir Saeed beat Hashir Bashir 2-0, winning 21-15 and 21-17, Hussain Ali Canada beat Goh Giap Malaysia walk over.

In women’s singles, Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq Maldives beat Mehwish Khan 2-0, winning 21-14 and 21-5, Anu Maya Rai Nepal beat Zubaira Butt 2-0, winning 21-8 and 21-15, Rida Hanif beat Basma Chasib Iraq walk over, Ghazala Saddique beat Maisa Fathulla Ismail Maldives 2-1, winning 18-21, 21-19 and 21-17, Soraya Aghaeihajiagha Iraq beat Rubab Imtiaz 2-0, winning 21-3 and 21-7, Aminath Nabeeha Abdul Razzaq beat Huma JAved 2-0, winning 21-14 and 21-9. Neela Najeeb beat Amal Muneeb 2-0, winning 21-13 and 21-17, Mahoor Shahzad beat Amita Giri Nepal 2-0, winning 21-11 and 21-3.

In women’s singles, Fathimath Nabaaha Maldives beat Anila Irshad 2-0, winning 21-11 and 21-11, Palwasha Bashir beat Anu Maya Rai Nepal 2-1, winning 15-21, 21-10 and 21-8 and Bushra Qayyum beat Rida Hanif 2-0, winning 21-16 and 21-8.

In men’s doubles M Bhatti/A Sarwar beat Elyas Ghaman/Sabawoon Gulzad 2-0, winning 21-7 and 21-14, m Atique/R Hasnain beat Abdulrahman/Qusay 2-0, winning 21-7 and 21-8, Ahmed Nibal/M Ajfan beat Ahmad Nadim/Musatafazada/Faqiri Shujaullah 2-0, winning 21-9 and 21-12, Ali Mehdi Syed/M Muqeet beat Said Kabir/Emran Rahim 2-0, winning 21-12 and 21-11, R Haider/A Zahid beat Said Shahabudin/Naweed Sayedy 2-0, winning 21-8 and 21-17, Murad Ali/Hashir Bashir beat Enamullah Faqiri/Sayed Masoud 2-0, winning 21-12 and 21-10.

Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza was expected to be the chief guest at the colourful grand opening ceremony, but due to her official engagement, she couldn’t attend. But she wished good luck to Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF) and all the international players, officials and umpires on behalf of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In her message, The IPC minister promises to provide the best hospitality, love and respect to the guest players and officials. “Hopefully, the guests will cherish these moments in rest of their lives. I promise to grace the closing ceremony and meet with visiting and local players. I hope it will be a memorable event for all. Winning or losing doesn’t matter; the thing that matters is how we play while the sportsman spirit must prevail.”

IPC Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani was the chief guest at the opening ceremony, while PSB Acting Director General Amna Imran, PBF Secretary Wajid Ali Ch, IBA President Pervez Butt, DDG Facilities Agha Amjedullah, DDG Administration Mansoor Ahmed Khan, DDG Technical and Training M Azam Dar, AD Women Cell Shazia Ejaz, MO Dr Shabeena Aftab, Rana Mameshwar Kumar and others were also present there. Credit must be given to Agha Amjedullah and his team for embellishing Rodham Hall well with a beautiful bungling and brand new mats of worth Rs 4 million.