ISLAMABAD - Pakistan brushed aside Finland 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the World Junior Squash Championship team event in Namibia, to book semifinals berth against Malaysia.
Tayyab Aslam started the first match for Pakistan against Jami Aijanen. The Pakistani lad was expecting an easy ride, but the first game was beyond his expectations as Jami not only settled down well but also took comfortable lead. Tayyab then played his natural game and took the first game 12-10. He then played very well and won the second game 11-7, and third game 11-6 to register victory in 30 minutes to give Pakistan 1-0 lead in the tie.
In the second match, Syed Ali Mujtaba Bokhari was pitted against Kristian Rautiainen. Ali started the first game on a high pace and won it 11-4. The second game was a tight affair before Ali finally prevailed and won it 11-9, and also won the third 11-8 to assure Pakistan sail into the semifinals. Finland decided not to play the third and last match.
Spain made the biggest upset of the event as they ousted mighty India 2-1 to book semifinal date against top seeds Egypt. Indian top junior player Kush Kumar gave India 1-0 lead as he won the first match against Edmon Lopez Moller 6-11, 11-8, 11-7, 3-11, 6-11 in 73 minutes. Despite going 1-0 down, Spanish players never lost hope and bounced back to win the next two matches. Iker Pajares Bernabeu beat Madhav Dhingra 11-4, 11-9, 11-6 in 31 minutes while in the third and last encounter, Bernat Jaume beat Vijay Meena 11-7, 11-2, 6-11, 11-7 in 38 minutes.
While top seeds Egypt beat Ireland 3-0. Omar Elatmas beat Michael Craig 11-9, 11-4, 11-3 in 37 minutes, Youssef Aboul-Makarim beat David Ryan 11-6, 11-3, 11-6 in 30 minutes and Karim El Hammamy beat Oisin Logan 11-5, 5-11 and 11-9. In the fourth and last quarterfinal, Malaysia stunned England to deny four-time world junior champions entry into last four. George Parker put England ahead with a 3-1 win over M Syafiq Kamal but Eain Yow Ng drew level for the fifth seeds when he beat Lyell Fuller 14-12, 7-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-9 in 68 minutes. Malaysia then celebrated a sensational triumph when 17-year-old Darren Chan defeated Patrick Rooney 11-9, 11-5, 11-8 in 41 minutes.