15-Mar, Finals:

[2] Nasir Iqbal bt [1] Amir Atlas Khan 
        11-9, 9-5 rtd (20m)
Samar Anjum bt [4] Rushna Mehboob
        7-11, 11-7, 6-11, 13-11, 6-1 rtd (55m).

In the women's final between Samar Anjum (L) and Roshna Mehboob (R). Roshna slipped and hurt herself at 1-0 in the 5th game. She tried to carry on after a three minute injury break but couldn't carry on.

'I am very pleased to win my first title and hope to join WSA and play the tour regularly' said the delighted winner.

The PSA finalists Amir Atlas Khan and Nasir Iqbal played in front of a packed crowd of 1500 at the DHA Creek Club in Karachi. Struggling with an adductor Amir pulled out in the second game,  trailing 0-1 and 1-5.

"I worked very hard for this event and pleased to have won. I look forward to the Asian Championships in May and my goal is to win there," said Nasir.

"I tried hard to play with my niggling adductor but it was too much to handle," said a disappointed Aamir. "I couldn't keep up with the match and I am disappointed with it. I hope to be injury free soon and do well in the next tournament."
 

Draw & Results

The finalists with Nasir's brother and coach Tahir Iqbal.

The winner with her
coach Waheed Naeem

Jahangir welcomes return of PSA Tour to Karachi

Squash Legend Jahangir Khan, winner of ten British Open and six World Open titles and famously being unbeaten for over five years, speaking from Kuwait where he is overseeing the $190k Kuwait PSA Cup, welcomed the return of the PSA tour to the city which witnessed many of his triumphs.

I welcome the PSA & WSA tour and the players at 1st DHA Karachi international Squash Championship.

I am really happy to see the revival of PSA tour at Karachi after 8 eight year gap and feel happier that it is being played at DHA Asif Nawaz Squash Complex where I played my last World Open in the year 1993 and won the World Team Championship.

It is the same venue where I announced my squash retirement and due to that I have an emotional attachment with this venue.

I personally thank the DHA Creek Club management for the revival of the prestigious venue which has a long history of major events organized at Asif Nawaz Squash Complex and will assure my full support for organizing more events in future at DHA.

I wish the organizers all the best.

Hopefully I will see top squash in my city once again.

Draw & Results

Jahangir and Jansher immortalised at the DHA squash complex

13-May, Quarters:

Second seed Nasir Iqbal and his brother Tahir. Nasir has been improving his world ranking consistently with PSA tour wins in Kuala Lumpur, Islamabad and Karachi last year. He was also a finalist in this year's Persian Gulf Cup and a semi finalist with an impressive run in the London Open in November. He is through to the semi final.	Even though I live in Dubai, my family is originally from Karachi. I am very happy that we have a tournament here after such a long time. We are well looked after by the organisers and I don't see why we can't have a bigger tournament with foreign players here. Adil Maqbool
Local refs from Karachi	Players were met by the hospitality managers at the DHA bakery.
Top seed Amir Atlas Khan survived a spirited effort by Ali Bokhari - the hero of the national junior team victory at the recent Asian junior champs in Korea. Amir is through to the semi final. 'Ali Bukhari is an up coming player. You have to be 100% fit to compete against these youngsters. I have a problem with my adductor but decided to keep playing. I am pleased to get through to the semi in this condition. Hopefully it doesn't come back to haunt me tomorrow'

QUICK VIDEOS

2nd seed Nasir Iqbal through to semis

Top seed Aamir Atlas Khan survives

11-7, 11-2, Rtd

[4] Danish Atlas Khan

11-9, 9-5 rtd (20m)

[2] Nasir Iqbal

11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-6 (40m)

[2] Nasir Iqbal

Qualifying Finals:
[1] Syed Hamza Bukhari (PAK) bt Mahad Javed (PAK) 9-11, 11-1, 11-1, 11-2,
[4] Nosherwan Khan (PAK) bt Ammad Farid (Punjab) 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-3,
[3] Muhammad Shoaib Hassan (PAK) bt [5] Zahir Shah (PAK) 11-9, 12-10, 11-1,
[2] Tayyab Aslam (PAK) bt Abbas Maniar (PAK) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4.

Qualifying Round One:

[1] Syed Hamza Bukhari (PAK) bt Ahmed Amin (PAK) 11-4, 11-6, 11-6,
Ammad Farid (Punjab) bt [8] Ismail Rauf (PAK) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5,
[4] Nosherwan Khan (PAK) bt Naqash Shahid (PAK) 11-9, 11-7, 11-8,
[3] Muhammad Shoaib Hassan (PAK) bt Muhammad Naeem (PAK) 11-3, 11-5, 11-6,
[5] Zahir Shah (PAK) bt Muhammad Yasir Khan (PAK) 11-4, 11-2, 11-6,
Abbas Maniar (PAK) bt [7] Attaullah Shah (PAK) 11-7, 11-1, 11-2,
Mahad Javed (PAK) bt [6] Suleman Khan (PAK) 11-5, 11-9, 11-7,
[2] Tayyab Aslam (PAK) bt Ali Nasir (PAK) 11-3, 11-7, 11-4,

'Being in Karachi and especially at the DHA squash complex brings back many memories of the 2 world opens and many Pakistan opens held here in the 90s. All the top players were here and I played and watched as a youngster. Even played Shabana here in the first round of the Pakistan Open one year.

Its great that the courts are used here and how good are the chalets as accommodation!

Well done Tahir Khanazada and his team for making it happen and thanks to DHA for their support. Karachi is certainly ready to host top squash players and treat them like they deserve to be treated.'

Kashif Shuja

[ third seed Kashif lost in a five-game marathon, 13-11 in the fifth after 95 minutes, to Nosherwan Khan, who made a strong comeback after an injury layoff ]

Round One:
Nosherwan ousts Kashif in Karachi

 

'I have been based in Europe for the last 13 years and its my first ever tournament in Pakistan. Its a very well organised event and the accommodation is great!

We are made very comfortable by the organisers and security issues are not a concern at all in this secluded compound. Thanks to DHA for providing the venue and the chalets for the players. Would definitely come back here again.'

Karamatullah Khan

QUICK VIDEOS

Country Club accommodation

The DHA venue

A "bunch of refs"

Karachi International, Women's Draw:

Women's squash continues to grow in Pakistan with Karachi being one of the biggest centres of the sport for women. The 1st DHA Karachi International also has one of the strongest women's draw with one of the biggest prize funds in the country.

Semi-Finals:
Samar Anjum bt [1] Zoya Khalid  11-7, 11-6, 11-3 (29m)
[4] Rushna Mehboob  bt Amna Latif  11-5, 12-10, 6-11, 11-4 (33m).

Quarter-Finals:
[1] Zoya Khalid (PAK) bt Riffat Khan (PAK) 12-10, 12-10, 7-7 Rtd
Samar Anjum (PAK) bt Madina Zafar (PAK) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (25m)
[4] Rushna Mehboob (PAK) bt Ayesha Zafar (PAK) w/o
Amna Latif (PAK) bt [2] Zahab Kamal Khan (PAK) 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-4 (44m)

Round One:
[1] Zoya Khalid (PAK) bt Faiza Zafar (PAK) 11-4, 11-2, 11-6 (28m)
Riffat Khan (PAK) bt Saima Shaukat (PAK) 11-2, 11-7, 11-9 (29m)
Samar Anjum (PAK) bt Q- Habiba Khan (PAK) 11-4, 11-2, 11-7 (18m)
Q- Madina Zafar (PAK) bt [3] Anum Aziz (PAK) 11-3, 11-6, 11-8 (18m)
[4] Rushna Mehboob (PAK) bt Roma Yousuf (PAK) 11-0, 11-0, 11-2 (15m)
Q- Ayesha Zafar (PAK) bt Q- Tehreema Islam (PAK) 11-3, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8 (41m)
Amna Latif (PAK) bt [WC] Meyral Sheikh (PAK) 11-3, 11-5, 11-5 (20m)
[2] Zahab Khan (PAK) bt Monisa Nasir (PAK) 11-7, 11-0, 11-8 (22m)

Final Qualifying Round
Habiba Khan (PAK) Erum Kamran (PAK) 11-4, 11-5, 11-4
Madina Zafar (PAK) bt Maira Saleem (PAK) 11-7, 11-7, 11-3
Ayesha Zafar (PAK) bt Khanum (PAK) 11-1, 11-6, 11-7,
Tehreema Islam (PAK) bt Kainat Liaquat (PAK) 11-6, 11-0, 11-2.

FirstQualifying Round
Habiba Khan (PAK) bt Fahmena Asim (PAK) 11-0, 11-0, 11-4,
Maira Saleem (PAK) bt Ilsa Imran (PAK) 11-2, 11-3, 11-8,
Madina Zafar (PAK) bt Iqra Jehanzeb (PAK) 11-7, 11-9, 12-10
Khanum (PAK) bt Noorul Huda (PAK) w/o,
Ayesha Zafar (PAK) bt Aina Sheikh (PAK) 11-2, 11-1, 11-1,
Tehreema Islam (PAK) bt Qiraat Fatima (PAK) 11-3, 11-1, 11-0

The young stars of Pakistan Squash qualify for the main draw.