ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan’s rising squash trio Mahnoor, Sehrish and Mehwish Ali advanced to the quarter-finals of the SRAFTKL International Junior Open Squash Championship in Kuala Lumpur with dominant performances on Thursday.
The three sisters outclassed their respective opponents in straight games, underlining their growing stature on the international junior circuit and keeping Pakistan’s hopes alive in the tournament.
Mahnoor Ali produced a composed and aggressive display in the third round of the Asian Junior Super Series, defeating China’s Du Shaoyi 3-0. In a closely contested match, Mahnoor held her nerve at crucial moments to seal the win with scores of 11-9, 11-7 and 11-9, securing her place in the last eight.
In the Under-15 category, Sehrish Ali registered an emphatic victory over Malaysia’s Kugan Karesha. After edging a tight opening game 14-12, she dominated the remainder of the match, winning the next two games 11-4 and 11-6 to complete a convincing straight-games triumph.
Mehwish Ali continued the winning momentum with a clinical performance against Singapore’s Wong Anne. Demonstrating excellent court control and precision, she secured a 3-0 win with scores of 11-8, 11-4 and 11-6 to move into the quarter-finals.
The trio’s clean sweep of victories highlights their consistency and preparation, as all three progressed without dropping a game in their respective matches.
Their performances have drawn praise from officials and sporting bodies in Pakistan. Federal Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination Mohyuddin Wani, along with the Pakistan Squash Federation, Pakistan Sports Board, Directorate General of Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, lauded the sisters for their impressive achievements.
They said the success of the three siblings reflects the hard work and dedication of young athletes and signals a promising future for squash in Pakistan.
Pakistan, once a dominant force in world squash, has been working to rebuild its presence on the global stage, and the emergence of young talents like the Ali sisters has provided fresh optimism.
With the tournament progressing to the knockout stages, the competition is expected to intensify. The Ali sisters will now aim to maintain their strong form and push for titles.
Sports enthusiasts have expressed hope that the trio can continue their winning run and bring home gold medals, further boosting Pakistan’s standing in international junior squash.
