The final of the POF Pakistan Circuit No2 was a match too far
for Mansoor Zaman as the veteran qualifier went down in
straight games to top seed Nasir Iqbal in the climax of the
PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at the Jahangir
Khan Squash Complex in Wah Cantt, Pakistan.
While Zaman, a 33-year-old former world No11 now languishing outside
the world top 200, was celebrating his first Tour final appearance
for almost two years, 19-year-old fellow Pakistani Iqbal was marking
his fourth of the year.
And the world No58 from Bannu brushed aside Zaman 11-6, 11-4, 11-1
in just 27 minutes to notch up his second trophy of the year - and
the fifth of his career.
Mansoor
Makes Wah Cantt Climax
Qualifier Mansoor Zaman brushed aside his third successive
higher-ranked opponent in the POF Pakistan Circuit No2 to
claim a place in the final of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10
squash event at the Jahangir Khan Squash Complex in Wah
Cantt, Pakistan.
Competing in his first Tour event of the year, 33-year-old Zaman
defeated fellow Pakistani Muhammad Saqib Yousaf 11-1, 11-7,
5-11, 11-6 in today's semi-finals to reach the 22nd Tour final of
his career - but his first since September 2011.
Peshawar-based Zaman's opponent will be top-seeded compatriot
Nasir Iqbal, who took four minutes longer to see off Tayyab
Aslam 11-6, 11-8, 11-2 in 37 minutes.
The 19-year-old from Bannu is celebrating the eighth Tour final of
his career - but his fourth this year.
Zaman
Cousins Win In Wah Cantt
Pakistan cousins Mansoor Zaman and Farhan Zaman upset
the form book in today's opening round of the POF Pakistan
Circuit No2 to secure unexpected places in the quarter-finals of
the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at the
Jahangir Khan Squash Complex in Wah Cantt, Pakistan.
Fresh from playing his part in Pakistan finishing in a
confidence-boosting 10th place in last week's Men's World Team
Championship in France, Farhan claimed the biggest scalp by
removing second seed Yasir Ali Butt 7-11, 11-8, 9-11, 13-11,
11-5 in 63 minutes.
Qualifier Mansoor, a former world No11 now ranked a lowly 266, took
just 28 minutes to defeat fellow countryman Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah
Bokhari 11-2, 9-11, 11-3, 11-6.
Top seed Nasir Iqbal, who led the Pakistan team in Mulhouse,
was stretched to the limit before beating qualifier Waqas Mehboob
6-11, 14-12, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6 in 59 minutes.
The 19-year-old from Bannu will now face Waqas' brother Farhan
Mehboob, who beat wild card Bilal Zakir 11-7, 11-9,
12-10.
Another upset will ensure that the title remains in Pakistan hands:
Tayyab Aslam, a 16-year-old from Lahore, outlasted Aqeel
Rehman - the No3 seed from Austria - over 74 minutes, winning
10-12, 11-5, 2-11, 12-10, 13-11 to halt the progress of the draw's
only non-Pakistani.
Aslam now takes on Khawaja Adil Maqbool for a place in the
last four.
