RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Kish Persian Gulf Cup, Kish Island, Iran
1st round:
[1] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt [Q] Saqib Yousaf (PAK) 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8
Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Sohail Shameli (IRI) 11-2, 11-5, 11-4
[Q] Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari (PAK) bt Ahmed Hawas (EGY) 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 13-11
Waqar Mehboob (PAK) bt [3] Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5
[4] Yasir Butt (PAK) bt Ahmad Alzabidi (JOR) 16-14, 11-8, 11-8
Mansoor Zaman (PAK) bt Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 11-8, 11-4, 11-9
[Q] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Joan Lezaud (FRA) 12-10, 12-10, 11-2
[Q] Waqas Mehboob (PAK) bt [2] Karim AGA Samy (EGY) 11-3, 11-1, 11-2
Quarter-finals:
Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [1] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 3-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-6
[Q] Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari (PAK) bt Waqar Mehboob (PAK) 10-12, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-9
[4] Yasir Butt (PAK) bt Mansoor Zaman (PAK) 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9
[Q] Waqas Mehboob (PAK) bt [Q] Farhan Zaman (PAK) w/o
Semi-finals:
Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari (PAK) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9
[4] Yasir Butt (PAK) bt [Q] Waqas Mehboob (PAK) 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 10-12, 14-12
Final:
Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [4] Yasir Butt (PAK) 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9
Pakistani Power Dominates Kish Persian Cup
Pakistanis powered through the field of the Kish Persian Gulf Cup to dominate the later stages of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its third year at the Kish Sports Centre in Kish Island, Iran.
The semi-finals took on a surprise all-Pakistani look when unseeded Danish Atlas Khan upset Malaysia’s top seed Muhd Asyraf Azan in the quarter-finals.
Khan, a 17-year-old from Peshawar, then defeated compatriot Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari, a qualifier from Lahore, in straight games to make the final – the second of his career.
Yasir Butt, the only seed to make the last four, also faced a qualifier in the other semi – but the fourth seed from Lahore battled for five games to overcome 18-year-old Waqas Mehboob, from Peshawar, to reach his sixth Tour final.
Both Pakistanis were looking for their first Tour title triumph in the final – but it was teenager Danish Atlas Khan who prevailed, beating his 22-year-old fellow countryman Butt 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9.