Noor Zaman, Ashab Irfan Reach Asian Games Squash Round of 16

Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail

Pakistan’s Noor Zaman and Mohammad Ashab Irfan advanced to the men’s singles pre-quarter-finals at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya on Wednesday.

Noor produced a dominant performance against the Philippines’ Aero Van Dalida, winning 3-0. He took the games 11-2, 11-4 and 11-3.

Noor will face Kuwait’s Ammar Al Tamimi in the round of 16 on Thursday.

Ashab Irfan also secured a comfortable straight-games victory, defeating Lebanon’s Jason Karam 11-2, 11-3 and 11-0.

He will meet Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad Al Nasfan in the pre-quarter-finals.

In the women’s singles, Pakistan’s Sana Bahadar suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat against Iran’s Najmeh Boushehrizadeh in the round of 32.

Sana moved ahead 2-1 after three games, but Najmeh responded by winning the final two games to complete the comeback. The Iranian won 11-9, 6-11, 10-12, 11-8 and 11-6.

Pakistan’s mixed doubles team of Asim Khan and Mehwish Ali also advanced to the round of 16 after beating Nepal’s Bipana Bhlon and Arhant Simha 2-0. The Pakistani pair won 11-6 and 11-10.

They will take on Japan’s Erisa Sano and Naoki Hayashi on Thursday.

Pakistan’s Mahnoor Ali, however, was eliminated from the women’s singles after losing 3-0 to Singapore’s Yhann Wai Au Yeong. The games finished 11-9, 11-3 and 11-8.

In another mixed doubles round-of-16 match on Thursday, Pakistan’s Nasir Iqbal and Sehrish Ali will face Hong Kong’s Yi Ka Lee and Hong Ming Tong.