F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Shoaib Riaz upset current national Under-19 Champion Zohaib Khan Khalil in a thrilling three sets battle and moved to the semi-finals of the ongoing 6th edition of the Nazim Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Badminton Championship being played here at Tariq Wadood Indoor Hall on Monday.
Shoaib Riaz, hailing from Bannu, played well and did not give much time to his strong rival Zohaib Khan Khalil in the marathon three sets battle. Besides him Haroon, Masood, Hamza Ibrahim also moved to the semi-finals after recording victories against their respective rivals. Haroon defeated Tahir by 2-0, the score was 21-16 and 21-16, Masood recorded victory against coach of Directorate Nadeem Khan by 2-0, the score was 21-16 and 21-17, National Junior Champion Hamza Ibrahim beat Basit of Swat by 2-1, the score was 15-21, 21-18 and 21-19.
The biggest upset of the Championship was Shoaib Riaz who upset Zohaib Khan Khalil, the current Under-19 National Champion, by 2-1 in a thrilling match. The score was 21-18, 19-21 and 21-18.
After the upset in the Men singles, another upset recorded in the Men doubles when Haseenb Khan and Haroon of Bannu upset Tahir and Masood by 2-1, the score was 21-17, 15-21 and 21-19. Masood and Tahir, both from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police had winning the doubles events from the last three consecutive years.
Besides this Shoaib Riaz and Khasif Bannu beat Fazal Rehman and Tehsil Ullah Mardan by 2-0, the score was 21-19, 21-17, Nadeem and Basit beat Amin and Shakir Ullah by 2-1, the score was 21-23, 21-19 and 23-21 in a thrilling match. Hayat Ullah, KP coach and Shakeel beat Yasir and Jawad of Buner by 2-0, the score was 21-19 and 21-16.
In the women quarter-final, Arifa of Swabi beat Kainat of Abbottabad by 2-0, the score was 21-19, 21-18, Iqra of Swabi, the current Inter-Provincial Champion, beat Rani of Abbottabad by 2-0, the score was 21-16 and 21-15, Urooj of Mardan beat Hadi of Abbottabad by 2-0, the score was 21-19 and 21-18, Urooj of Peshawar beat Hina of Abbottabad by 2-0, the score was 21-18 and 21-18, Javeria beat Maryum of Abbottabad by 2-0, the score was 21-15 and 21-17, Nayyab of Mardan beat Fatima of Peshawar by 2-0, the score was 21-17 and 21-16 and Aqsa of Swabi beat Umbar of Peshawar.
