ISLAMABAD - Egypt’s Youssef Ibrahim annexed the $18,000 13th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) International Squash Championship 2018 title after hammering local hope Farhan Mehboob 3-0 in the final played at Roshan Khan Jahangir Khan Squash Complex, Karachi on Monday.
The first game started on a brisk pace as both the players tried to seal early initiative. Farhan, as all know, is a slow-starter, while a few referee’s calls also went against him, which upset him and he lost the concentration, which allowed Youssef to take first game 11-7.
The second game also started on electrifying pace and Farhan soon took control, but once again a few close calls went against him and the entire tempo of the game shifted towards Youssef, who claimed the game 12-10. The third game was also a close affair, but once again, the poor refereeing spoiled Farhan’s focus and Youssef, who never needed any second invitations, sealed the fate of the game 11-8, thus won the final in 32 minutes.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi graced the final as chief guest. He gave away winning trophy and cash prize of $3,249 to Youssef while handed over runner-up trophy and $2,052 cash to Farhan Mehboob.
Addressing the ceremony, Tournament Director Commodore Habib-ur-Rehman said: “Squash has a glorious past in Pakistan, which always brought laurels to the country. There is still a huge talent of squash in Pakistan and Navy is committed to provide them a platform in order to keep the legacy alive. Holding the events like CNS Squash Championship on regular basis is indicative of Pakistan Navy’s commitment towards the game.”
The tournament director also expressed his gratitude to Professional Squash Association (PSA), Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF), all the sponsors and participants for their support in the successful conduct of the championship without which the event would not have been possible.
Besides the primary mission of safeguarding the maritime frontiers of the country, Navy has significantly contributed in organizing International and National sports events in the country. Organizing sports events like golf, hockey, shooting, squash and sailing regatta are some of the hallmarks of Pakistan Navy in promoting healthy sports culture in the country. The ceremony was attended by a large number of civil & military dignitaries, sponsors and senior players of squash.