Butt Battles Into CAS International Semis

Pakistan teenager Yasir Butt maintained his fine form in the CAS International in the Pakistan city of Islamabad when he became the only qualifier to reach the semi-finals after beating compatriot Farhan Mehboob in the quarter-finals of the $25,000 PSA Tour squash event at the Mushaf Ali Mir Complex.

The 19-year-old from Lahore made his event breakthrough in the first round when he beat experienced fellow countryman Shahid Zaman, the No6 seed.

Butt battled hard for 48 minutes to overcome unseeded Mehboob 11-10 (2-0), 11-8, 9-11, 11-6 - and will now face Malaysia's second seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar for a place in the final.

It will be the pair's second Tour clash in Islamabad - after the Malaysian beat Butt in the first round of the COAS International in the city more than two years ago.

The in-form Iskandar, champion in 2004, beat Egypt's fifth seed Omar Mosaad 7-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8 in 72 minutes to extend his unbeaten run on the PSA Tour to ten matches! The 25-year-old world No17 from Sarawak arrived in Pakistan with two successive PSA title wins to his name - at the North American Open in San Francisco in May and the Malaysian Open in his home country last month.

The other semi-final will also be a Malaysian/Pakistani affair - in which favourite Ong Beng Hee will take on local star Aamir Atlas Khan, the 17-year-old Pakistan No2 from Peshawar.

Beng Hee, runner-up in 2004, beat Egypt's No7 seed Omar Abdel Aziz 11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (2-0), 11-3 while Khan crushed compatriot Safeer Ullah Khan, a qualifier, 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 in just 15 minutes.

Quarter-finals:
[1] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [7] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (2-0), 11-3 (36m)
[4] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Safeer Ullah Khan (PAK) 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 (15m)
[Q] Yasir Butt (PAK) bt Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 11-10 (2-0), 11-8, 9-11, 11-6 (48m)
[2] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [5] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 7-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8 (72m)