Pakistan’s Abdullah Nawaz secured an impressive straight-sets victory in the opening round of the World Junior Individual Squash Championships in Egypt, giving the national squad a boost on a day that otherwise saw tough losses for his compatriots. Nawaz’s dominant start sets a positive tone for Pakistan’s campaign as the tournament promises heightened competition ahead.
The first day of action in Egypt featured energetic contests and a strong international presence, with Pakistan’s representatives stepping onto the court for their debut matches. Abdullah Nawaz, seeded among the [5/8] bracket, showed clinical form as he defeated Macau’s Keng In Leong 3-0, recording game scores of 11-7, 11-0, and 11-4 to comfortably book his place in the next round.
While Nawaz advanced, other Pakistani players faced challenging opponents. Anas Ali Shah, seeded [17/32], put up a spirited fight against Hong Kong’s Justin Cheng but fell 3-1 (11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 11-9). Muhammad Umair Arif, also seeded [17/32], was edged out by Hart Robertson of the USA in a straight-sets contest (14-12, 11-6, 11-9), despite pushing the first game to the wire.
Yahya Khan squared off in a tense encounter with the USA’s Muhammad Haq. After dropping the first two games, Yahya displayed resilience by claiming the third 16-14, but ultimately succumbed 3-1 (11-4, 11-9, 14-16, 11-6).
With Nawaz’s victory ensuring Pakistan remains in contention in the individual championship, attention for the other Pakistani athletes will now shift towards the upcoming team events. The players will aim to regroup and stage a strong comeback as the prestigious tournament continues.
