08-May, Final:
[2] Shahid Zaman (PAK) bt [1] Mansoor Zaman (PAK)
     15-6, 15-9, 15-9

SHAHID CLAIMS
FIRST PSA TITLE
report from the Daily Times

Shahid Zaman sealed a stylish 15-6, 15-9, 15-9 victory over Mansoor Zaman in the final of the Pakistan International Squash Circuit at the Punjab Squash Association (PSA) Complex on Saturday.

Shahid pocketed $1,900 for his magnificent victory. Runner-up Mansoor received $1,300 while semi-finalists Majid Khan and Farrukh Zaman were given $850 each.

It was not that Mansoor did not play well in the final. He played to his potential throughout the event and the final was no exception. Mansoor remained unconquered till the semis. Phenomenal Shahid was also on song. He had defeated Farrukh in straight games 15-10, 15-13, 15-11 in the semi-final. Obviously the final started as a highly charged affair.

Mansoor went for a quick 2-0 lead. But Shahid showed an imperious form. With Shahid quickly going for his magical shots world number 19 Mansoor lost his rhythm in the very first game. Trailing 10-5 midway the game, he stumbled and found himself floored in front of a packed crowd.

Shahid controlled the second and the third game as well. He played a forceful but calculated game. Time and again Mansoor froze in his tracks, watching helplessly the unplayable drop shots of Shahid.

The rivals entered the third game with a killer’s instinct. Mansoor reduced 7-2 lead to 10-8 before Shahid started playing his well-timed and accurate shots again. Standing his ground calmly, he checked, paused and then hit the ball at will. In the blink of an eye, he raced to 14-9. The rest is history.

It was the first victory for the 22-year-old in the professional circuit. “I feel it was not my day. Shahid played great today. He deserved this victory,” Mansoor reflected after the 41-minute match.

“Winning the first two games gave me a clear edge,” chuckled an upbeat Shahid in post-match remarks. “Mansoor put in a brave performance in the third, but I knew the late fight back was not going to work for him. Everything went my way. I feel elated. It was probably my best-ever victory.”

Shahid's first PSA trophy
 

Majid Khan

15-6, 15-9, 15-9
 

Shahid Zaman

 15-10, 15-13, 15-11 (41m)

Shahid Zaman

Qualifying

Qualifying finals:
Zubair Ali Khan (PAK) bt Shah Nawaz (PAK) 10-15, 15-13, 15-9, 15-8
Shamsul Islam Khan (PAK) bt Basit Ashfaq (PAK) 15-7, 15-7, 15-12
Naveed Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Muhammad Ilyas (PAK) 15-8, 7-15, 15-10, 17-15
Wai Hang Wong (HKG) bt Roger Ngan (HKG) 15-10, 15-11, 11-15, 15-12

1st qualifying round:
Shah Nawaz (PAK) bt Kashif Shuja (PAK) 17-14, 15-17, 15-8, 15-11
Zubair Ali Khan (PAK) bt Muhammad Ateeq (PAK) 15-4, 15-6, 15-8
Shamsul Islam Khan (PAK) bt Wakeel Khan (PAK) 15-11, 15-9, 15-10
Basit Ashfaq (PAK) bt Amir Atlas Khan (PAK) 15-13, 15-10, 15-8
Naveed Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Majeed Hussain (PAK) 15-5, 15-12, 12-15
Muhammad Ilyas (PAK) bt Mamoon Rasheed (PAK) 15-11, 15-1, 15-14
Roger Ngan (HKG) bt Muhammad Naveed (PAK) 15-6, 15-12, 15-7
Wai Hang Wong (HKG) bt Ashfaq Hussain (PAK) 15-9, 15-12, 15-3

Zamans To Contest Lahore Final
Pakistan's top two squash players, cousins Mansoor and Shahid Zaman, will contest the final of the Pakistan Circuit Event No1 after straight games victories in today's semi-finals in Lahore.

Top seed Mansoor, the world No19 from Peshawar, swept to his third successive 3/0 victory in the event with a 15-12 15-10 15-8 win over fourth seed Majid Khan in 37 minutes.

Shahid Zaman, from Quetta, ousted Farrukh Zaman, also a cousin of the finalists, 15-10 15-13 15-11 in 41 minutes to set up his fourth final meeting with Mansoor

Left-hander Mansoor, at 23 the older of the pair by two years, boasts a 100% record over his cousin in finals - beating Shahid in April's SAF Games final in Islamabad and in the Pakistan National Championship climax in Abbottabad in June last year. Their only meeting in a PSA Tour event final was almost three years ago in the CAS International in Islamabad.

Mansoor is celebrating his 12th appearance in a PSA Tour final, and looking for his fourth crown, whereas Shahid has reached four finals before but not yet claimed his first trophy.

06-May, Quarter-Finals:
Zamans Make It A
Family Affair In Lahore
Three members of the same family will battle it out for the two places in the final of the Pakistan Squash Circuit Event No1 after today's quarter-finals in Lahore.

Cousins Mansoor, Shahid and Farrukh Zaman are the top three seeds in the $12,000 PSA Tour event - and are joined in the all-Pakistan semi-final line-up by fourth seed Majid Khan.

Top seed Mansoor Zaman, from Peshawar, overcame Khalid Atlas Khan 17-16 15-8 15-13 in 39 minutes in the only quarter-final to end in straight games. The left-hander, ranked 19 in the world, will face Majid Khan in the last four after the 20-year-old, also from Peshawar, beat qualifier Shamsul Islam Khan 15-11 15-7 10-15 15-4 in 48 minutes.

Second seed Shahid Zaman, from Quetta, had to fight back from a game down before overcoming fifth-seeded Arshad Iqbal Burki 11-15 15-4 15-12 15-7 in 44 minutes. He will now face Farrukh after his cousin conquered qualifier Naveed Atlas Khan 11-15 15-13 15-3 15-7 in 43 minutes.

05-May:
Top seeds cruise through
Report from the Daily Times
LAHORE: Top seeds Mansoor Zaman and Shahid Zaman scored easy victories over their respective rivals in the Pakistan International Squash Circuit at the Punjab Squash Association (PSA) Complex here on Wednesday.

Mansoor ousted Wal Hang Wong of Hong Kong in straight games 15-7, 15-11, 15-13 in only 23 minutes. Shahid consumed 31 minutes in his one-sided 15-11, 15-4, 15-7 victory over Khayal Muhammad. Among others who scored straight games triumphs were Khalid Atlas Khan and Farrukh Zaman. Khalid defeated Saeed Hassan 17-16, 15-11, 15-6. Farrukh overpowered Zubair Ali Khan 15-8, 15-9, 15-5 in a match that lasted for only 18 minutes.

Shamsul Islam found himself in trouble but fought back from two games down to score a clinical 11-15, 5-15, 15-8, 15-7, 15-14 victory over Safeerullah Khan in a marathon 63-minute match of the day.

Qualifier Naveed Atlas defeated Ritwik Bhattacharya of India 15-12, 12-15, 15-13, 15-10 through meticulous planning. Majid Khan showed the character of a match-winner and edged past Farhan Mehboob 15-10, 7-15, 15-5, 15-1 in 43 minutes.

In the last match of the day, a wily Arshad Iqbal Burki had to use all his tricks in defeating big-hitting youngster Yasir Butt 15-11, 15-10, 10-15, 17-15. The match lasted 70 minutes.

---

04-May:
Qualifying continues in Lahore
Qualifying for thePakistan International Squash Circuit 2004 began in the Punjab Squash Complex, Lahore with an upset. Pakistan’s Shahnawaz defeated the world ranked 99 and top seed in the qualifying round Kashif Shujaa in 61 minutes.

Roger Ngan from Hong Kong beat M. Naveed, Way Heng Wang overpowered Ashfaq Hussain, Shamsul Islam defeated Wakil Khan, Zubair Ali Khan to M. Ateeque, Naveed Atlas to Majeed Hussain, Basit Ashfaque to Amir Atlas and M. Ilyas beat Mamoon Rasheed.

The two-day qualifying round will continues on Tuesday, with the main round of the event commencing on Wednesday.

02-May:
Pre-Qualifying
Report from The Daily Times
LAHORE: Muhammad Naveed, Wakeel Khan, Shahnawaz and Majeed Hussain advanced to the qualifying round for the Pakistan International Squash Circuit 2004 on Sunday. The two-day qualifying round for the $12,000 event begins at the Punjab Squash Association (PSA) Complex on Monday. The main round of the event commences on Wednesday.

Muhammad Naveed qualified at the expense of a Hungarian player, who pulled out of the event and Naveed got an upgrade.

Wakeel emerged victorious 15-8, 12-15, 15-12, 8-15 and 15-5 in an almost one-sided affair that lasted for 27 minutes. Shahnawaz defeated Aqib Hanif in straight games 15-9, 15-10 and 15-11. While a mild-mannered Shahnawaz kept his cool and rhythm, a belligerent Aqib kept on shouting every time his ball hit the tin and he smashed his racket in disgust after losing the second game 15-10. And after losing the match he fell flat sweating on the floor.

Soft-spoken Shahnawaz chuckled: “I feel a lot better now that I have qualified for the next round. I just want to go out on court and play my best squash in the qualifying round.”

Majeed galloped to an impressive victory in a pulsating 69-minute encounter 17-15, 15-14, 12-15, 10-15 and 15-2 against Farzan Rashid. Majeed won a hard-fought first game 17-15 and annexed the next 15-14. A brave Farzan held his nerves to launch rapid counter attacks and won next two games. However, in the last game Farzan ran out of steam and that made all the difference.

Daily Times