Pakistan & Egypt To Meet In World Junior Final

Hosts Pakistan, the top seeds and defending champions, cruised to a 3-0 victory over surprise semi-finalists Kuwait to reach the final of the PIA Men's World Junior Team Championship in Islamabad, where they will face Egypt after the No2 seeds earned a 3-0 victory over England.

The packed and enthusiastic crowd at the Mushaf Squash Complex cheered the Pakistan team through to their second successive final appearance. In the opening match, Kuwait No1 Ali B Al-Ramzi hung in well against Khalid Atlas Khan, the first game taking just over 18 minutes. But the Pakistani PSA player showed the benefits of all his experience against his younger and less experienced opponent, picking up almost everything and eventually forcing a loose return which allowed him to finish the rally.

In the second and third games the Kuwaiti was forced to play the ball looser and looser, with inevitable consequences. The pace was controlled by Khalid throughout - and he soon won 9-4 9-2 9-5.

At third string, Pakistan's Yasir Butt simply overwhelmed young Sulaiman Al Khamees, who has been playing well in Islamabad. Aware of his opponent's front court skills, Yasir took firm possession of the 'T' - his opponent restricted to going from side to side behind the service boxes until unable to reach any more. Butt wrapped up victory 9-1 9-0 9-2 in just 20 minutes to ensure his country's place in the final.

In the second semi-final Chris Simpson of third seeds England played well in the opening match, keeping the new world individual champion Ramy Ashour on court for some 45 minutes. "Indeed, the 16-year-old Egyptian, not on top form, showed a slightly disappointing side to his play by hustling his opponent and the referee, something a player of his calibre really does not need to do," remarked event spokesman George Mieras. "It was an inevitable 3-0 win, however, to Ashour."

Egypt then had to field Ahmed El Swaify in place of their unwell regular No3 Omar Abu Zid - and he and the team management must have got a real fright when England's Tom Richards came out all guns blazing and swept through the first game 9-0! The lanky Egyptian was clearly 'encouraged' during the interval and responded by levelling, also 9-0!

The match then settled into a well-contested affair with Richards trying to expose the Egyptian slowness especially when drawn in short, but always facing the problem of the massive reach of his opponent and a lethal forehand drive if allowed to play it. The 18-year-old Englishman deservedly got the third and led 6-3 in the fourth before Ahmed hauled it back. In the decider, a much-relieved Egyptian took his side through to set up the anticipated final between Pakistan and Egypt.