Noor Zaman, Ashab Irfan reach Asian Games Squash quarter-finals

NAGOYA: Pakistan’s squash campaign at the 20th Asian Games gathered momentum on Thursday as Noor Zaman and Mohammad Ashab Irfan powered into the men’s singles quarter-finals with convincing straight-game victories.

Noor Zaman delivered another composed performance, defeating Kuwait’s Ammar Altamimi 11-4, 11-9, 11-4 to secure his second consecutive win and book his place among the final eight.

The young Pakistani maintained control throughout the contest, using his pace and accuracy to keep Altamimi under pressure. With the quarter-finals now in sight, Noor will return to action on Friday with hopes of extending Pakistan’s run in the singles event.

Ashab Irfan also produced a strong display, overcoming Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad Al Nasfan 11-9, 11-3, 11-5. After a relatively close opening game, Irfan found his rhythm and took command of the match, closing it out comfortably.

Both Pakistani players will face their quarter-final opponents on Friday as they look to move one step closer to the medal rounds.

Pakistan also made progress in the mixed doubles competition, where Asim Khan and Mehwish Ali staged an impressive comeback against Japan’s Erisa Sano and Naoki Hayashi.

The Pakistani pair lost the opening game 11-8 but responded strongly, edging the second game 11-10 before completing the turnaround with an 11-4 victory in the deciding game.

Their reward is a quarter-final meeting with Hong Kong’s Toby Lam Ye Tsee and Nam Cheuk Lai on Friday.

However, Pakistan’s other mixed doubles combination, Nasir Iqbal and Sehrish Ali, could not advance. They were beaten 11-2, 11-6 by Hong Kong’s Hong Ming Tong and Ye Ka Lee in the pre-quarter-finals.

Away from squash, Pakistan suffered disappointment in women’s boxing as Maria Rind exited the 51kg preliminaries after losing to Mongolia’s Yesugen Oyuntsetseg by referee stoppage in the third round.

The defeat followed Pakistan’s earlier loss involving Sumama Rahman, leaving the country with further hopes resting on its remaining boxers.

Glasgow Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Fatima Zehra is scheduled to face Tajikistan’s Mijgoma Samadova in the 60kg preliminaries on Saturday. In the men’s 90kg category, Irfan Khan will take on South Korea’s Gichae Kim.

Pakistan has entered two male and two female boxers in the Asian Games competition.

The country’s last Asian Games boxing medal came in 2014, when Mohammad Waseem secured bronze. Pakistan will now look to its remaining athletes to end the long wait for another medal in the discipline.