ISLAMABAD - Saddam, Salman, Naeem and Raees Khan advanced to the main qualifying round of the $10,000 Hashim Khan Memorial International Squash Circuit-II Championship at Hashim Khan Squash Complex on Thursday. A total of 12 matches were played on the first day of pre-qualifying round matches. In the first match, Saddam beat Saad Shahid 3-0, 11-5, 11-3 and 11-6, while in the second match, he staged upset victory against Waqas Mehboob 3-1, winning 12-10, 11-7, 7-11, 12-10. Salman Zaib beat Rizwan Gul 3-2 after some tough resistance winning 11-7, 7-11, 3-11, 11-4, 11-6, while in the second match, he beat Nouman Khan 3-1, 11-3, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8. M Naeem beat M Farhan 3-0, winning 11-4, 11-6, 11-6, while in the second match, Naeem was awarded walk over against Babrak Khan. Raees Khan staged upset victory against Salman Hashmi 3-1, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6, while in the second match, he beat Kashif Asif 11-8, 11-5, 11-5. In the other matches, Babarak Khan beat Tariq Khan 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9, Nouman Khan beat Abdullah Bashir 3-2, 3-11, 14-12, 11-6, 3-11, 11-5, Kashif Asif beat Zeeshan Khan 11-2, 12-10, 11-8, Waqar Mehboob beat Abbas Shoukat 3-1, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8. The second round of qualifying matches will be played tomorrow (Saturday). A total of four players will qualify for the main round.– Staff Reporter