All but one of the qualifiers competing in the FMC Pakistan International Squash Circuit No1 survived today’s first round of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 event in a day of shocks at the Punjab Squash Complex in Lahore.
Syed Hamzha Shah Bukhari, an 18-year-old from Lahore ranked outside the world top 200, dug deep to defeat fellow Pakistani Muhammad Shah Nawaz, ranked more than 50 places higher, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9 in 83 minutes.
The lowest-ranked player in the draw now meets the highest – top seed Aamir Atlas Khan. The world No29 from Peshawar (pictured) despatched Pakistan qualifier Khawaja Adil Maqbool 11-6, 12-10, 15-13 in 35 minutes.
After their unexpected first round victories, Owais Khan and Aqib Hanif will meet in the last eight to ensure that a Pakistan qualifier will make the semi-finals. Khan, a 19-year-old from Peshawar, defeated fellow countryman Waqas Mehboob 12-10, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7.
And 25-year-old Hanif delighted his home fans in Lahore by pulling off the biggest upset – ousting second seed Farhan Mehboob 12-10, 12-10, 12-14, 11-8 in 63 minutes.
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v [Q] Syed Hamzha Shah Bukhari (PAK)
[3] Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) v Muhammad Saqib Yousaf (PAK)
[4] Kashif Shuja (NZL) v Farhan Zaman (PAK)
[Q] Aqib Hanif (PAK) v [Q] Owais Khan (PAK)
1st round:
[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) 11-6, 12-10, 15-13 (35m)
[Q] Syed Hamzha Shah Bukhari (PAK) bt Muhammad Shah Nawaz (PAK) 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9 (83m)
Muhammad Saqib Yousaf (PAK) bt Waqar Mehboob (PAK) 12-10, 5-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2 (48m)
[3] Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Muhammad Shoaib Hassan (PAK) 8-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-1, 11-8 (63m)
[4] Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt Mansoor Zaman (PAK) 11-7, 7-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-9 (54m)
Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Nasir Iqbal (PAK) 11-8, 7-11, 7-11, 11-4, 16-14 (70m)
[Q] Owais Khan (PAK) bt Waqas Mehboob (PAK) 12-10, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7 (37m)
[Q] Aqib Hanif (PAK) bt [2] Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 12-10, 12-10, 12-14, 11-8 (63m)
Qualifying finals:
Owais Khan (PAK) bt Sadam Ul Haq (PAK) 15-13, 13-11, 11-8 (39m)
Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) bt Syed Ali Shah Bokhari (PAK) 11-9, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5 (36m)
Aqib Hanif (PAK) bt Khalid Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5 (44m)
Syed Hamzha Shah Bukhari (PAK) bt Tayyab Aslam (PAK) 12-10, 11-5, 11-7 (69m)
1st qualifying round:
Owais Khan (PAK) bt Naveed Khan (PAK) 11-7, 11-8, 11-4 (23m)
Sadam Ul Haq (PAK) bt Mahad Javed (PAK) 11-5, 12-10, 11-8 (23m)
Syed Ali Shah Bokhari (PAK) bt Zahir Shah (PAK) 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 (33m)
Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) bt Kashif Khan (PAK) 10-12, 12-10, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5 (50m)
Aqib Hanif (PAK) bt Naseem Khan (PAK) 11-0, 14-12, 13-11 (43m)
Khalid Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Abbas Ali (PAK) w/o
Tayyab Aslam (PAK) bt Shahzad Khan (PAK) 11-8, 11-9, 11-2 (30m)
Syed Hamzha Shah Bukhari (PAK) bt Muhammad Bilal (PAK) 11-6, 11-3, 11-9 (26m)
