Champion Iqbal Charges On In Islamabad
by Howard Harding
20 April 2012 - Teenage outsider Nasir Iqbal remained on course to defend his title in the COAS International in Pakistan when he upset second seed Farhan Mehboob in straight games in today's quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its tenth year at the Mushaf Squash Complex in the capital Islamabad.
The 18-year-old from Peshawar, the surprise winner of the 2011 title, took 50 minutes to overcome Mehboob, ranked more than 60 places higher, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5.
Iqbal, the only unseeded player to make the last four, will now meet Danish Atlas Khan, the 18-year-old No3 seed who defeated veteran left-hander Mansoor Zaman 11-5, 11-5, 11-6.
Danish's brother Aamir Atlas Khan will contest the other, also all-Pakistan, semi-final. The top seed - who is seeking his fourth title since 2008 - beat Waqas Mehboob 11-9, 11-1, 11-5 while his opponent Farhan Zaman, the No4 seed, recovered from a game down to overcome Muhammad Saqib Yousaf 4-11, 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 COAS International, Islamabad, Pakistan
Quarter-finals:
[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Waqas Mehboob (PAK) 11-9, 11-1, 11-5 (29m)
[4] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Muhammad Saqib Yousaf (PAK) 4-11, 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 (57m)
[3] Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Mansoor Zaman (PAK) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 (37m)
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt [2] Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 (50m)
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v [4] Farhan Zaman (PAK)
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) v [3] Danish Atlas Khan (PAK)
Back To Main
